South Korea’s IPO market rose 19% in the first nine months of 2025 compared to last year. Companies raised 3.41 trillion won ($2.43 billion), up from 2.85 trillion won, according to IR Kudos Corp.
A total of 55 companies went public on the KOSPI and KOSDAQ markets, compared with 47 last year. LG CNS Co., an IT affiliate of LG Electronics, raised 1.19 trillion won, the highest amount. DH Shipbuilding Co. followed with 500 billion won, and Seoul Guarantee Insurance raised 182 billion won.
The consulting firm expects IPOs to grow further for the rest of 2025. The KOSPI index has surged more than 43% this year, boosting investor interest and IPO activity.
From next year, regulators will implement stricter rules for IPOs. Over 40% of shares must go to institutional investors, who must hold them for three to six months. Currently, only 20% of shares are allocated this way. The change aims to prevent short-term profit-taking by institutional investors and ensure smoother market stability.
