South Korean households' domestic and overseas stock investments hit an all-time high during the first quarter, with stocks taking up over 20 percent of household financial assets.

According to data from the Bank of Korea(BOK) on Thursday, net financial funds held by households and nonprofit organizations totaled 44 trillion won in the first quarter, down from 65-point-nine trillion won a year earlier. Net financial funds are the value of financial assets minus financial liabilities.

The central bank said that the drop in excess funds reflects increased spending as health authorities eased social distancing regulations, as well as an increase in stock and real estate investments using loans from financial institutions.

Households' total funds stood at 96-point-one trillion won in the first quarter, up 15 trillion won from a year earlier, but their liabilities more than tripled from 15-point-two to 52-point-one trillion won.

Equity securities and investments, in particular, skyrocketed on-year from two-point-three trillion won to 39 trillion won. Overseas financial investments, including foreign shares, exploded from one-point-five to eleven-point-eight trillion won. 

Deposits, on the other hand, dropped 38 percent on-year from 63 trillion won to 38-point-five trillion won.