One-third of applications for listing are ‘technological special provisions’… Technology experts doubled in one year, bio proportion increased: ZUM News

The Korea Exchange is doubling the pool of technical experts on the technology special listing committee in one year. It has been decided to increase the participation of experts in the field in the listing review so that the cutting-edge and strategic technology field can become more diverse and technology companies can be properly evaluated.

According to the Financial Services Commission and the Korea Exchange on the 3rd, the number of listing committee experts and technical experts will be increased this month. The number of experts on the listing committee will increase from 40 to 47, and the number of technical experts will increase from 19 to 25.

Companies applying for technology special listing are evaluated by holding a review by the listing committee after technical advice from an expert meeting during the preliminary listing review. The listing committee consists of 9 members (5 ex officio members + 4 from a pool of 40 experts). However, there have been continued criticisms that there are only 13 technical experts out of a pool of 40 experts, and that even these experts are concentrated in certain fields. As of the end of June last year, the technical experts were 6 bio, 4 computer engineering, 1 artificial intelligence (AI)/robotics, 1 semiconductor, and 1 patent attorney.

It was decided to improve this in July of last year, and the Korea Exchange has so far hired a total of 19 technical experts out of the pool of 40 experts (5 in bio, 4 in software/AI, 3 in electronics/semiconductors, 4 in machinery/robotics, and 4 in chemicals/materials). increased to 2 people and 1 patent attorney). This is to improve the reliability and expertise of the review by improving the review process so that the technical field in which the evaluator has expertise matches the technology being evaluated.

The exchange plans to further expand the pool of experts this month to a total of 47, and increase the number of technical experts to be appointed to 25. In the tentative plan, the number will increase to 8 in bio, 5 in software/AI, 3 in electronics/semiconductors, 4 in machinery/robotics, 3 in chemistry/materials, 1 patent attorney, and 1 in industrial engineering.

If technical experts in various fields are reflected in the expert pool, the ability to properly evaluate rapidly emerging strategic technologies such as AI, new drug development, and deep tech will be created.

The number of technology-exclusive listed companies was established in the 2000s, and has increased every year due to the listing activation policy in 2015. Through this system, various technology companies are growing by raising funds from the market, contributing greatly to the scale-up of innovative companies.

Mid-sized and small-sized bio companies such as Alteogen, RigaChem Bio, and ABL Bio, which have recently achieved results in global technology transfer, were listed in 2018 and 2019 through this system. It has become a driving force driving Korea’s economic innovation and high-tech industry.

The technology special listing system has become so important that one-third of all companies applying for listing utilize it. Of the total 174 companies applying for KOSDAQ listing in 2022, 45 applied for technology special treatment. Of these, 28 were listed. In 2023, out of a total of 167 companies applying, 58 received technology special treatment and 35 companies were listed on the market. Therefore, a pool of experts who understand technology has become more important.

An exchange official said, “As the number of companies listed under technology special provisions is increasing and the industry is also diversifying, we are making efforts to reflect this and form experts in various industries.” He added, “We will continue to properly evaluate various technology companies and promote listing.” “To this end, we will make efforts to secure diversity and increase manpower,” he said.