South Korean listed companies' dividend payouts surpassed the 20-trillion won threshold for the first time last year. 

The Korea Exchange announced Tuesday that 517 out of the 746 companies listed on the main Korea Composite Stock Price Index(KOSPI) market paid a combined total of 20-point-95 trillion won in 2016, or 18-point-seven billion dollars, in year-end cash dividends. 

That's up by nine-point-four percent from the previous year.

The surge came as large caps increased payments to meet shareholders' demand. Top-cap Samsung Electronics announced the largest dividend payouts last year of three-point-85 trillion won, followed by state electricity firm KEPCO that paid one-point-27 trillion won and Hyundai Motor with 810-point nine billion won.