South Korea’s First-Half Securities Settlement Value Jumps 41% to 4,701 Trillion Won

South Korea’s buoyant stock market pushed securities settlement value above 4,700 trillion won in the first half of 2026.

The Korea Securities Depository said July 21 that securities settlement value for the January-June period totaled 4,701 trillion won, up 41.3% from a year earlier. The total combines exchange-traded stock and bond settlements with over-the-counter settlements between institutional investors.

Stock settlement value surged 314.5% to 993.5 trillion won in the first half. Bond settlement value rose 20.1% to 3,707.5 trillion won, a smaller increase than for stocks.

Settlement value for stocks traded between institutional investors also jumped 319.6% to 557.2 trillion won. Bond settlement value between institutional investors increased 23% to 3,357 trillion won.

More specifically, bond settlement value climbed 6.3% from a year earlier to 1,707.6 trillion won, while short-term bond settlement value soared 81.9% to 1,077 trillion won.

Settlement value for certificates of deposit and commercial paper totaled 572.4 trillion won, up 7.95%.

By bond type, government bonds accounted for the largest share at 901 trillion won, or 52.8% of the total. They were followed by financial bonds at 470.6 trillion won, or 27.6%, and special bonds at 130.3 trillion won, or 7.6%.

Cho A-ra, Hankyung.com reporter rrang123@hankyung.com