South Korea’s main bourse was the least volatile among major stock markets around the world this year.

According to the Korea Exchange on Friday, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index(KOSPI)'s average monthly return volatility index stood at one-point-87 this year, the lowest of 17 major stock markets analyzed.

The monthly return volatility index is calculated based on a standard deviation of return rates. A lower figure signifies that the stock market has moved neither significantly up nor significantly down.

South Korea’s index this year is much lower than those of other stock indices classified as emerging markets, such as China, which posted eight-point-45, and Brazil, which posted eight-point-38. Russia and India also recorded five-point-zero-nine and four-point-94, respectively.

As of Thursday, the KOSPI's annual rate of return was three-point-79 percent, the eleventh highest of the 17 markets.