SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The value of South Korea's investment funds jumped 26 percent in the first half of this year from six months earlier, thanks to an increase in funds traded on stock exchanges, data showed Friday.

The net asset value of South Korean investment funds came to 1,734.5 trillion won (US$1.2 trillion) as of end-June, up 358 trillion won from the second half of last year, according to the Korea Financial Investment Association.

The gains came as net assets of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) soared 72.4 percent from six months earlier to 512 trillion won.

The tally of ETFs is the highest on record since the investment vehicle launched in the local stock market in 2002.

An ETF refers to an investment fund traded on stock exchanges and invests in a basket of stocks that track an index or commodities and bonds.

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