Seoul: The number of listed firms participating in merger and acquisition (MandA) deals decreased during the first half of 2026 compared to the previous year, recent data revealed. By the end of June, a total of 75 listed companies were engaged in completed or ongoing MandA transactions, as reported by the Korea Securities Depository.

According to Yonhap News Agency, this represents a 2.6 percent decline from the same period in the previous year. Among these companies, 22 were listed on the KOSPI, South Korea's main stock exchange, while the remaining 53 were part of the KOSDAQ, the country's secondary market.

Furthermore, the total amount of appraisal rights payment saw a significant drop of 82.9 percent year-on-year, amounting to 5.4 billion won (approximately US$3.6 million), as per the latest findings.