The number of companies which went public this year on the main KOSPI and tech-heavy KOSDAQ markets reached the highest in 13 years, data showed on Wednesday.

As of Tuesday, a total of 119 companies have listed on the stock markets, 17 on the benchmark KOSPI and 102 on the secondary KOSDAQ, according to Korea Exchange.

By the end of this year, nine more companies will join the IPO march, two on the KOSPI and seven on the KOSDAQ.

This 2015 figure is the largest since 2002 when 178 firms went public on the back of the IT venture boom, KRX said.

KRX officials expect the IPO boom to continue through next year.