Nearly 40 percent of South Korea's shares listed on the main and secondary markets saw their share prices hit a 52-week low after Japan announced an export curb against Asia's No. 4 economy in July, data showed Sunday.

The number of companies whose share prices hit a 52-week low since July until Friday reached 975 from both markets, making up 43.3 percent of the combined listed firms, according to the figure compiled by the bourse operator Korea Exchange (KRX).

From the 900 firms listed on the main bourse, share prices of 409 companies, or 45.4 percent, reached a 52-week low, the data showed.

Tokyo began implementing tougher restrictions on South Korea-bound shipments of three key materials vital for the production of semiconductors and displays in July.

On Friday, Japan also decided to exclude South Korea from its listed of trusted trading partners, a move that could delay shipments of a broad range of industrial products to Seoul.

In the first two trading sessions of August alone, the number of companies that suffered a 52-week low on the main bourse reached 206, the KRX data showed.

On Friday, South Korean stocks sank to have the main index finish below the psychologically important 2,000-point threshold by falling 1 percent, the lowest level in seven months. (Yonhap)