Anchor: South Korea’s main stock market enjoyed an unprecedented bullish run this year. Following strong rallies throughout the year the KOSPI closed 2017 more than 20 percent higher from the end of last year. The total market capitalization of the stocks listed on the main bourse continued to shatter records to usher in the era of one-thousand-600 trillion won. 
Our Alannah Hill has more on the South Korean stock market in 2017. 

Report: The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index(KOSPI) closed at two-thousand-467-point-49 on the last trading day of the year on Thursday. 

It is the highest level the main bourse has ever reached on a year-ending day, rising by 441-point-03 points, or 21-point-76 percent, from two-thousand-26-point-46 points at the end of last year. 

It marks the highest annual growth for KOSPI since the index rose 558-point-three points, or 49-point-seven percent, in 2009. 

For the first time in its history, the KOSPI surpassed the two-thousand-500 mark this year, closing at two-thousand-557-point-97 points on November third. A day earlier, it even reached two-thousand-561-point-63 before giving up some of the gains at the end of the day. 

The lowest point the KOSPI touched this year was two-thousand-26-point-16 reached on January second, meaning the index moved steadily without many ups or downs. 

The market capitalization of the stocks listed on the index stood at one-thousand-606 trillion won on Thursday, posting a growth of nearly 300 trillion won from the end of last year. 

Many investors flocked to the South Korean stock market in 2017. 

The daily average trading value on KOSPI was five-point-three trillion won this year, marking an increase of 17-point-nine percent from last year. It is the first time in two years that the value increased. 

However, much investment was focused on large-cap stocks, and the daily average trading volume on KOSPI declined by nine percent from last year to 340 million shares. 

KOSPI’s solid rallies this year were driven by the recovery of the global economy, stronger performances by South Korean exporters and fueled by the influx of foreign capital seeking high returns.  

The rallies were particularly driven by large export-led companies in the information and telecommunication, semiconductor and chemical sectors. 

The stock price of top-cap Samsung Electronics increased by 41-point-four percent for the year, while that of number two, SK Hynix, jumped by 71-point-14 percent.
Alannah Hill, KBS World Radio News.