Foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Korea
South Korea: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 15.80 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Korea, 1970–2025
Source: Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D. Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Korea is 15.80 billion BoP, current US$, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 22.9% on the previous year and up 285.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Korea peaked at 25.04 billion BoP, current US$ in 2022 and was at its lowest, 2.00 million BoP, current US$, in 1974.
South Korea ranks 27th of 201 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 105.20 million BoP, current US$ | 2.00 million BoP, current US$ | 496.00 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 528.98 million BoP, current US$ | 47.10 million BoP, current US$ | 1.39 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.08 billion BoP, current US$ | 832.30 million BoP, current US$ | 10.73 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.57 billion BoP, current US$ | 5.48 billion BoP, current US$ | 13.64 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.67 billion BoP, current US$ | 4.10 billion BoP, current US$ | 17.91 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.26 billion BoP, current US$ | 8.76 billion BoP, current US$ | 25.04 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More economy & growth data for South Korea
- Gross national expenditure 94.8% (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 0.2% (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure 65.7% (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 660.05 billion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Gross national expenditure 1.78 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Gross national expenditure 2,524.87 trillion current LCU (2025)
- Gross national expenditure 1.78 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 914.33 trillion current LCU (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 642.79 billion current US$ (2025)
- Exports of goods and services 4.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Korea?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Korea was 15.80 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 25.04 billion BoP, current US$ in 2022.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.00 million BoP, current US$ in 1974.
- How does South Korea rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- South Korea ranks 27th out of 201 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 285.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in the reporting economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. Direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. Data are in current U.S. dollars.