[THE INVESTOR] The amount of asset-backed securities issued in the first half of the year plunged 43.9 percent from a year ago, the Financial Supervisory Service said on July 29.

According to the FSS, the figure for the first six months of 2016 came to 27 trillion won (US$24.02 billion), down 43.9 percent from 48.2 trillion won recording during the same period last year.

The FSS said that the fall was mainly due to the Korea Housing Finance Corporation issuing less mortgage-backed securities compared to the previous year. MBS issuance of the KHFC came to 14.6 trillion won, down 60.7 percent from a year ago.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)