Unclaimed shares held by Korea Securities Depository near 1.5 trillion won
In short
Unclaimed shares held by the Korea Securities Depository totalled 800,840,418 shares worth 1.4707 trillion won at the end of August, according to data obtained by Democratic Party lawmaker Han Min-soo. Over the past five years the depository's campaign to find owners returned 278.3 billion won in shares, about 55.7 billion won a year, or roughly 3.9% of the year-end 2025 balance.
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Unclaimed shares held by the Korea Securities Depository have approached 1.5 trillion won, according to data the depository submitted to Han Min-soo, a Democratic Party lawmaker on the National Assembly's National Policy Committee, reported on October 8. As of the end of August the depository held 800,840,418 unclaimed shares with an assessed value of 1.4707 trillion won. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
At the end of last year the depository held 763,536,816 unclaimed shares worth 1.4443 trillion won, meaning the value rose by about 26.4 billion won over the first eight months of this year. The number of unclaimed shareholders rose from 25,349 to 26,280 over the same period, an increase of 931. Of these, 22,526 are individuals and 3,754 are corporations. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The largest individual case involves a shareholder with 644,247 shares valued at 70.67 billion won, according to Yonhap and Asia Economy; Dong-A Ilbo reported that one individual's unclaimed shares exceeded 70 billion won. Among corporations, the largest case is 42,227,674 shares worth 211.14 billion won. Unclaimed dividends total about 5.6 billion won for individuals and about 170 million won for corporations. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Over the past five years, the depository's campaign to find the owners of unclaimed shares returned a total of 278.3 billion won in shares. That is an annual average of about 55.7 billion won, roughly 3.9% of the unclaimed balance at the end of last year. Each year the depository mails notices to unclaimed shareholders at residential addresses confirmed through the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Last year notices went to 9,492 people, fewer than half of the 25,349 unclaimed shareholders at year-end, and the outlets reported calls to review how recipients are selected and whether addresses are verified. [ 1 , 2 ]
Han said a more active campaign is needed, such as sending text message notices with the cooperation of the three mobile carriers. "More than 1 trillion won in shares is still waiting for its owners, and we need to check whether the current notification methods and claim procedures are sufficient," he said. [ 1 , 2 ]
Unclaimed shares arise when share certificates issued through paid-in or bonus capital increases or stock dividends are not collected, typically because shareholders are unaware of the issuance or did not receive notices after changing address. Such shares are kept by transfer agents including the Korea Securities Depository. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The figures were released by a member of the National Assembly's National Policy Committee, and Han called for the depository to review its notification methods and claim procedures. Yonhap and Asia Economy reported that last year's mailed notices reached fewer than half of the unclaimed shareholders, raising questions about how recipients are selected and addresses checked.
Key facts
- As of the end of August, the Korea Securities Depository held 800,840,418 unclaimed shares valued at 1.4707 trillion won. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The value of unclaimed shares rose by about 26.4 billion won from 1.4443 trillion won at the end of last year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Unclaimed shareholders increased by 931 to 26,280, of whom 22,526 are individuals and 3,754 are corporations. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The largest individual case involves 644,247 shares worth 70.67 billion won; the largest corporate case involves 42,227,674 shares worth 211.14 billion won. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Unclaimed dividends amount to about 5.6 billion won for individuals and about 170 million won for corporations. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The depository's campaign returned 278.3 billion won in shares over the past five years, an annual average of about 55.7 billion won, or about 3.9% of the year-end balance. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Last year the depository mailed notices to 9,492 people, fewer than half of the 25,349 unclaimed shareholders at the end of last year. [ 1 , 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Unclaimed shares held by the depository totalled 800,840,418 shares worth 1.4707 trillion won at the end of August. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Unclaimed shareholders numbered 26,280 at the end of August, up 931 from the end of last year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The depository's campaign returned 278.3 billion won in shares over five years, about 55.7 billion won a year. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Notices were mailed last year to 9,492 people, fewer than half of unclaimed shareholders. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Han Min-soo called for text message notices through the three mobile carriers and a review of notification and claim procedures. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- How the depository selects which unclaimed shareholders receive mailed notices. The outlets report calls to review the selection criteria and address checks but give no explanation from the depository.
- Whether the depository will adopt text message notices. The documents carry only the lawmaker's proposal and no response from the depository or the mobile carriers.