emirates7 - The issuance of equity-linked securities (ELS) in the Republic of Korea rose by 19 percent year-on-year during the first half of the year, according to data released Monday.

From January to June, the total issuance of ELS products reached 21.7 trillion won (approximately US$15.6 billion), up from 18.3 trillion won during the same period last year, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing the Korea Securities Depository.

ELS are hybrid financial instruments whose returns are tied to the performance of specific underlying equities.