Foreign ownership of South Korean stocks plunged to a 43-month low in March due to increased market volatility amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

According to data from the Financial Supervisory Service on Tuesday, foreign investors held 468-point-seven trillion won worth of local stocks and other stock-related instruments as of end of March.

It marks the lowest since August 2016 when they posted 467-point-six trillion won.

Foreigners held 444-point-six trillion won worth of shares listed on the main bourse and 21-point-seven trillion won worth of stocks traded on the tech-heavy KOSDAQ market.

The value of stocks held by foreigners reached 593 trillion won at the end of last year but has been on a decline this year. It plunged by 76 trillion won and fell below the 500 trillion mark last month.