Photo courtesy of Yonhap News

 

[Alpha Biz= Kim Sang Jin] South Korea’s National Pension Service saw the value of its domestic equity holdings rise by nearly KRW 80 trillion in the first quarter, driven by a strong stock market rally.

According to data compiled by FnGuide as of April 7, the total valuation of listed companies in which the National Pension Service holds at least a 5% stake reached KRW 323.76 trillion. This represents an increase of KRW 78.55 trillion from KRW 245.21 trillion at the end of last year, delivering a return of approximately 32%.

The surge was largely fueled by gains in key semiconductor stocks, particularly Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, which together accounted for 62.7% of the total increase in portfolio value.

The National Pension Service’s holdings in Samsung Electronics rose in value by 63.8% to KRW 90.12 trillion, while its stake in SK hynix increased to KRW 48.99 trillion, up 40.7%. The fund also saw notable valuation gains in Hyundai Motor, Hanwha Aerospace, and Mirae Asset Securities.

During the first quarter, the fund added 22 new companies to its portfolio with ownership stakes exceeding 5%, while 15 companies fell below the 5% threshold. Notably, a majority of new additions were listed on the KOSDAQ market, reflecting increased investment aligned with government policies to promote the growth of smaller-cap stocks.

The total number of companies in which the National Pension Service holds more than a 5% stake increased from 269 to 276, while holdings above 10% rose from 34 to 37.

Market participants view the strong performance as evidence of the pension fund’s significant exposure to semiconductor leaders and its active portfolio rebalancing strategy, particularly toward growth-oriented sectors.

 

 

 

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