The Exchange's SRI Bond Listing Amount Increased by 48% After Opening a Dedicated Segment

Significantly Increased Listed Stocks and Institutions

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Hwajeong] The dedicated segment for Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) bonds operated by the Korea Exchange marked its first anniversary in June. Since the establishment of the SRI-dedicated segment, the amount of newly listed SRI bonds has increased by nearly 50% compared to before the segment was created.

According to the Korea Exchange on the 20th, the establishment of the dedicated segment has led to a significant increase in the amount of SRI bonds listed, the number of listed items, and the number of listing institutions. After the segment was established, the amount of newly listed bonds reached 72.3 trillion KRW, a 48% increase compared to before the segment's creation. The number of listed items also rose by 62% to 504, and the number of listing institutions surged by 571% to 94.

Not only social bonds, which previously accounted for a large portion, but also green bonds and sustainability bonds have grown in scale, showing remarkable growth not only in size but also in diversity.

There was also a change in the types of listing institutions. Before the dedicated segment was established, public institutions accounted for the majority of new listings, but after its creation, general corporations and financial institutions have actively listed SRI bonds. The amount of SRI bonds listed by general corporations, mainly affiliates of large companies such as Hyundai Motor, SK, and Lotte, increased significantly, and financial groups such as KB Financial and Shinhan Financial also listed SRI bonds exceeding 1 trillion KRW, showing an expansion in the base of listing institutions.

The SRI bond dedicated segment was established in June last year by the Korea Exchange to support the issuance of SRI bonds and provide one-stop services for related information. SRI bonds are bonds whose issuance funds are used for eco-friendly or social value-creating projects. To revitalize the SRI bond market, the Exchange has signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with external evaluation agencies and has provided financial support such as waiving new listing fees and annual charges for three years starting last year for institutions issuing SRI bonds. A Korea Exchange official stated, "Considering the rapid growth of the SRI bond market, we plan to enhance qualitative growth by expanding the provision of SRI bond information and solidify the foundation of the SRI bond market."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.