Investments by South Korea's top 30 business groups jumped over 40 percent this year.

CEO Score, a corporate research firm, said on Sunday that combined investment by 261 firms affiliated with the 30 business groups came to 57-point-eight trillion won in the first three quarters of the year, up 42-point-six percent year-on-year.

The total excludes funds allocated for various research and development projects undertaken by businesses.

Samsung Group invested about 20 trillion won, accounting for a third of all investments made. SK came in second at about ten-point-one trillion won, followed by LG group at seven-point-seven trillion won.

The combined total of the three made up two-thirds of all investment at 38-point-one trillion won.