South Korea’s equity market trading surges past 40 trillion won mark

South Korea’s equity markets logged their highest trading volume in nearly two years on June 24, buoyed by a sharp rally in domestic stocks and rising investor activity on a newly launched alternative trading platform.

Combined trading value across the main Korea Exchange and Nextrade surpassed 43 trillion won ($32 billion) on June 24, marking the first time since July 2023 that daily volume has exceeded the 40 trillion won threshold, according to data from the Korea Exchange.

Turnover on the main boards—the KOSPI, KOSDAQ, and KONEX—reached 27.09 trillion won ($19.5 billion) during regular trading hours. Meanwhile, Nextrade, an alternative trading system introduced in March, saw a record 3.24 trillion won traded in its pre-market session and 10.97 trillion won during its main session. An additional 2.01 trillion won changed hands during its after-hours trading window, which extends to 8 p.m.

The latest surge in activity reflects renewed momentum in Korean equities. The KOSPI index jumped 2.96% to close at 3,103.64, crossing the 3,100 mark for the first time in three years and nine months. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ rose 2.06% to 800.93, breaching the 800-point level for the first time in nearly a year.

Much of the increased liquidity has been driven by the expansion of trading hours and accessibility offered by Nextrade. Since launching three months ago, the platform has extended equity trading from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., giving investors broader entry points throughout the day. On June 24, both its pre-market and main sessions posted record volumes.

“The KOSPI breaking past the 3,000 resistance level signals a shift toward valuation expansion,” said Yang Hae-jung, a researcher at DS Investment & Securities. “If the index trades at a price-to-book ratio of 1, we could see it reach the 3,200 to 3,300 range.”