Yeouido, the main financial street in South Korea South Korean companies, having raised 30 trillion won ($27 billion) in both equity and bond issues in the first quarter of this year, are on course to set a new record for capital raising for the entire year, according to the country's top financial regulator. Driven by year-long stock market rallies, their rush to secure cash garnered a warm response from investors who let down their guard on the survivors of the global pandemic. Amid expectations of a global economic recovery, the surging valuations of companies in the growth industries of bio, rechargeable battery, internet, gaming and renewable energy prodded Korean companies to step up their advance into new businesses with investor money.