Out with the old, in with the new?
Recently, some local companies in the latest cutting-edge technology sectors have been leapfrogging companies in more traditional sectors in terms of their market cap.
For a closer look at the yo-yo effect this has been having on Korea's stock markets, here's our Yoon Jung-min.
The stock prices of some of South Korea's biggest firms have witnessed some dramatic ups and downs this year due to increasing volatility centered around local bio and 5G companies.
According to Korea Exchange, out of the top 10 listed companies by market capitalization on South Korea's benchmark KOSPI at the end of 2018,... only seven were still there as of last Friday.
Telecommunications giant SK Telecom, Korea Electric Power Corporation and steelmaker POSCO have dropped out of the top ten,... replaced by Hyundai Mobis, a firm increasingly focused on autonomous driving technology, and others.
Samsung BioLogics is back in the top ten after a temporary slip when it was under investigation due to fraudulent accounting allegations.
South Korea's major web portal Naver soared from 10th place to 4th,...while Samsung Electronics and SK hynix remained in first and second place, respectively.
Bio companies on the secondary tech-heavy KOSDAQ have also seen a greater degree of volatility.
They include Kolon TissueGene, which was suspended from trading in late May due to its controversial gene therapy Invossa.
More firms involved in the 5G tech sector made their debut in the KOSDAQ's top ten,... including KMW, a local manufacturer of wireless communication equipment.
Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.
