The value of mergers and acquisitions reported last year surged as many corporate realignments involved large companies, while total numbers dipped, South Korea's antitrust watchdog said Thursday,
  

The value of the reported M&As in 2014 jumped 27.3 percent to 210.3 trillion won, up 45.1 trillion won from 165.2 trillion won in 2013, the Fair Trade Commission said.
  

The number of transactions stood at 571, down by 14 cases, or 2.4 percent, from the year before. The total includes 451 domestic cases and 120 cases related to foreign businesses.
  

"The sharp increase in value comes as large conglomerates and multinationals engaged in sweeping restructuring that involved the selling and buying of big companies," the FTC said in a press release.
  

Of the 571 cases, 313 involved a change in managerial control with the rest being stake investments.
  

Most of the M&As that resulted in change of management were in the "safe zone," which did not result in any impact on free market competition, the commission said.
  

"Only 27 cases required close examination to see if they affected the market," the FTC said.
  

M&As include both restructuring within a business group aimed at streamlining operations and purchasing of outside companies.
  

The corporate regulator said mergers involving local companies reached 38.2 trillion won, up 105 percent from 18.6 trillion won tallied for the year before.
  

Of these, 70 cases worth 20.5 trillion won were about internal readjustments.
  

Samsung Group and Hyundai Motor Group, South Korea's two largest conglomerates, along with SK, Hanjin and Hanwha engaged in vertical and horizontal M&As within the conglomerate last year.
  

The latest findings showed M&As by foreign companies dipping by 14 cases from the year before, although the value shot up 17.4 percent, or 25.5 trillion won, to 172.1 trillion won.
  

Of the total, 44 cases worth 13 trillion won involved a foreign company buying a local firm. This is three more than last year, with the value of transactions hitting 13 trillion won, up six-folds compared to the year before.
  

M&As among foreign companies that can still affect local market conditions stood at 76 cases, down 17 from the year before. The value of these transactions, however, hit 159.1 trillion won for a 10 percent on-year gain, the commission said. (Yonhap)