[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s over-the-counter stock market has seen increased turnover this year, much credited to ultra-low interest rates fueling investor attention, a market tracker said Aug. 26.

Turnover of South Korea’s over-the-counter stock market has been surging this year thanks to growing investor attention amid ultra-low interest rates, a market tracker said on Aug. 26.

The value of transactions on the K-OTC nearly doubled in six months, soaring to 15.7 billion won (US$14.1 million) in July from 7.6 billion won in January, according to financial information provider FnGuide. The turnover reached 15.2 billion won in the first 24 days of this month.

The Korea Financial Investment Association operates the OTC market where unlisted blue chips are traded. In August 2014, KOFIA revamped the previous OTC bourse to liven up trading.

KOFIA attributed the surge in turnover mainly to a long period of low interest rates.

“An increasing number of investors are getting interested in unlisted stocks as it is difficult to find proper investment products amid the worsening of a low-rate trend,” said Han Jae-young, a senior KOFIA official.

(theinvestor@heraldcorp.com)