The National Pension Service bought a large sum of shares related to automobile and financial companies in the first half of this year, officials said Monday.

The Financial Supervisory Service posted on its official website that NPS’ share in Hyundai Motor Group, the country’s No. 1 automaker, rose 1.04 percentage point to 6.99 percent.

Financial research and consulting firm FnGuide noted a conspicuous increase in the state pension service’s stock purchase in transportation equipment and auto parts.

Similarly, the NPS bought more shares in the same period in eight other companies related to transportation equipment, such as Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co.

The NPS’ shares in financial groups, securities firms and mobile operators saw a comprehensive increase as well, according to the FSS and FnGuide.

The pensioner raised its possession of shares for four financial groups ― Korea Investment Holdings, KB Financial Group, BS Financial Group and Woori Financial Group ― by between 1.1 percent and 2.12 percent.

As for brokerages, the pensioner now holds a 5.97 percent share in KTB Securities, 5.10 percent in Mirae Asset Securities, 5.06 percent in Woori Securities and 8.24 percent in Samsung Securities.

With the country’s continued strong demand for mobile services, the NPS bought more shares in the three Korean mobile operators KT, SK Telecom and LG Uplus, now holding 8.65 percent, 6.1 percent, 5.09 percent stakes, respectively.

However, the NPS lessened its possession of stocks in underperforming industries, such as engineering and construction. It lowered its stock holding ratio by 0.37 percent to 1.97 percent in four construction companies, including GS Engineering & Construction.

The pension service reportedly plans to invest 57.5 trillion won in domestic securities and bonds by next year, ultimately pulling up its investment-operation ratio to 30 percent by 2018.

By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldcorp.com)