Foreign investors net purchase Korean stocks in December after selling binge

The dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul, Wednesday / Yonhap

Foreign investors turned net buyers of South Korean stocks in December, a month after selling off the second-largest amount in history, central bank data showed Wednesday.

Offshore investors bought a net $1.19 billion worth of local stocks last month, following $9.13 billion in net sell-offs the previous month, according to data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).

The November sell-off was the largest since the record selling of $9.33 billion in April.

The country's benchmark KOSPI index rose more than 7 percent in December, aided by a bull run of semiconductor shares. The KOSPI advanced more than 75 percent last year.

Foreign investors also snatched up a net $6.2 billion worth of bonds last month, following the largest net purchase on record of $11.81 billion the previous month, the data showed.

Daily fluctuations in the won-dollar exchange rate narrowed, averaging 5.3 won in December, compared with 5.6 won a month earlier, the data showed.