Data released Thursday showed that despite some market volatility, the number of South Korean stock trading accounts hit a record high, driven by a bull market led by major chipmakers.
According to the Korea Financial Investment Association (KOFIA), as of June 24, the number of stock trading accounts reached 108.7 million, an increase of over 10 million from 98.28 million at the end of last year.
Since early this year, as more retail investors bought local heavyweights including Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, new account openings have risen sharply.
Last year, the number of stock trading accounts increased by 11.7 million.
This month, driven by a tech rally fueled by AI optimism, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) broke through the 9,000-point mark for the first time.
However, market volatility is also intensifying. The KOSPI 200 Volatility Index (VKOSPI) closed at 84.81 on Wednesday, up 6.04% from the previous trading day.
VKOSPI is Korea's official volatility index, which predicts market volatility over the next 30 days based on KOSPI 200 options and serves as a measure of market fear.
