Massive foreign capital inflows into the local stock market were in part attributed to expectations about solid earnings by big companies in South Korea, with the Bank of Korea keeping its benchmark interest rate at a record low.

Foreigners held a total of 528.8 trillion won worth of South Korean stocks at the end of March, accounting for 32.4 percent of the nation's total market capitalization, the data showed.

Investors from the US, the Cayman Islands and Canada raised their holdings of South Korean stocks last month, while investors from Britain, Israel and France offloaded their holdings.

Meanwhile, foreign investors raised their holdings of South Korean bonds by 2.67 trillion won last month.

It marked the third straight month that foreigners remained net buyers of South Korean debts.

As of the end of last month, foreigners' holdings of South Korean debts stood at 98.7 trillion won, accounting for 6.1 percent of total bonds. (Yonhap)