Direct financing by South Korean companies soared 23 percent in September from a month earlier, as large firms opted to raise funds through bond sales on the back of lower borrowing costs, the financial regulator said Monday. Local companies raised a combined 10.8 trillion won (US$10.1 billion) via selling stocks and bonds last month, compared with 8.8 trillion won the previous month, according to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS).