More South Korean firms, under growing pressure from investors and the bourse operator, are joining a move to split stocks, thus making their shares easier to buy and their share prices more attractive to investors, data showed on Wednesday.

Fourteen companies have announced plans for stock splits or have been preparing for such a move in the first half of this year, sharply up from four in the same period one year ago, the Korea Exchange, main bourse operator, said.

Leading the move is AmorePacific Co., the nation's top cosmetic maker, which announced a 10-for-1 stock split plan in early March after its shares nearly tripled over the past year on the upbeat business outlook in the fast-growing Chinese cosmetics market.

The plan attracted even more investors, sending the company's shares up 35.8 percent from March 3 to Tuesday, when they ended at 3,884,000 won. Tuesday was the last trading day before the suspension period begins.

The face value of Amore's common stock will be lowered from the current 5,000 won ($4.61) to 500 won when its shares resume trading on May 8, with the number of shares in circulation to rise tenfold.

The local bourse operator has been encouraging listed firms to split their stocks in a bid to give easier access to retail investors and boost the overall trading volume.

While the trading suspension currently lasts for 10 days, the KRX said it will shorten the period to five to six days to reduce the impact of stock splits on both companies and the market.

"We have recommended that companies shorten the suspension period to reduce its impact on their shares and lessen the burden on companies that consider stock splits," the KRX said.

Although stock splits do not change corporate value, shares are traded more often and their prices have risen, the bourse operator said.

Among stocks that were split over the past four years, their prices have jumped nearly 30 percent and the trading turnover nearly doubled in the first year, according to the KRX. (Yonhap)