South Korea vs United States: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP)
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) over time
- South Korea
- United States
How they compare
United States currently reports 1.0% against 0.8% in South Korea, a difference of 0.2%.
That makes United States's figure about 1.2 times South Korea's.
The two have swapped places 7 times across 56 shared years of data; in 1970 it was South Korea ahead.
South Korea ranks 150th and United States ranks 147th of 201 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, South Korea averaged higher in 1 and United States in 5.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Korea | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.7% | 0.2% | 0.5% | South Korea |
| 1980s | 0.3% | 0.8% | 0.4% | United States |
| 1990s | 0.7% | 1.3% | 0.6% | United States |
| 2000s | 1.1% | 1.8% | 0.6% | United States |
| 2010s | 0.7% | 1.8% | 1.1% | United States |
| 2020s | 0.9% | 1.2% | 0.3% | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher foreign direct investment, net inflows, South Korea or United States?
- United States, at 1.0% against 0.8% in South Korea as of 2025.
- What is the difference in foreign direct investment, net inflows between South Korea and United States?
- 0.2%, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Korea and United States?
- 56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
- How do South Korea and United States rank globally for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- South Korea ranks 150th and United States ranks 147th of 201 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Foreign direct investment is the net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest (10 percent or more of voting stock) in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in the balance of payments. This series shows net inflows (new investment inflows less disinvestment) in the reporting economy from foreign investors, and is divided by GDP.