The number of companies newly listed on the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) and the secondary tech-heavy KOSDAQ this year is expected to reach the highest level in 13 years.
 
The Korea Exchange said Saturday that as of October, 88 firms were newly listed on the KOSPI and KOSDAQ this year, already surpassing the 87 recorded for the whole of 2011.
 
Fifteen firms are confirmed to be listed within the year with another 50 that are in the preliminary deliberation stage.
 
The Exchange predicts yearly listings could reach the highest level in 13 years since 2002 when the venture capital boom erupted.
 
That year, 25 firms were listed on KOSPI and 153 on the KOSDAQ for a combined 178.