Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current) … inflows annual in South Korea
South Korea: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current) … inflows annual was 22.87 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual in South Korea, 1971–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 22.87 % change on previous year for foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), annual in 2025.
That represents a change of up 170.5% on the previous year and up 141.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), annual in South Korea peaked at 229.3 % change on previous year in 1981 and was at its lowest, -99.19 % change on previous year, in 1973.
South Korea ranks 74th of 202 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current) … inflows annual in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | -36.36 % change on previous year | — |
| 1973 | -99.19 % change on previous year | +172.8% |
| 1974 | -50 % change on previous year | -49.6% |
| 1975 | 200 % change on previous year | -500.0% |
| 1977 | 16.05 % change on previous year | -92.0% |
| 1978 | -5.32 % change on previous year | -133.1% |
| 1979 | 93.26 % change on previous year | -1853.3% |
| 1980 | -72.62 % change on previous year | -177.9% |
| 1981 | 229.3 % change on previous year | -415.8% |
| 1982 | -22.05 % change on previous year | -109.6% |
| 1983 | 52.44 % change on previous year | -337.8% |
| 1984 | 21.16 % change on previous year | -59.6% |
| 1985 | 59.11 % change on previous year | +179.3% |
| 1986 | 92.09 % change on previous year | +55.8% |
| 1987 | 22.87 % change on previous year | -75.2% |
| 1988 | 54.2 % change on previous year | +137.0% |
| 1989 | 7.46 % change on previous year | -86.2% |
| 1990 | -24.76 % change on previous year | -431.7% |
| 1991 | 39.17 % change on previous year | -258.2% |
| 1992 | -31.17 % change on previous year | -179.6% |
| 1993 | -16.9 % change on previous year | -45.8% |
| 1994 | 36.56 % change on previous year | -316.3% |
| 1995 | 118.82 % change on previous year | +225.0% |
| 1996 | 11.88 % change on previous year | -90.0% |
| 1997 | 18.63 % change on previous year | +56.8% |
| 1998 | 81.43 % change on previous year | +337.0% |
| 1999 | 79.09 % change on previous year | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 7.3 % change on previous year | -90.8% |
| 2001 | -43.33 % change on previous year | -693.5% |
| 2002 | -16.06 % change on previous year | -62.9% |
| 2003 | 28.03 % change on previous year | -274.6% |
| 2004 | 89.65 % change on previous year | +219.8% |
| 2005 | 2.62 % change on previous year | -97.1% |
| 2006 | -32.85 % change on previous year | -1351.9% |
| 2007 | -3.66 % change on previous year | -88.9% |
| 2008 | 26.74 % change on previous year | -831.4% |
| 2009 | -19.36 % change on previous year | -172.4% |
| 2010 | 5.27 % change on previous year | -127.2% |
| 2011 | 2.9 % change on previous year | -44.9% |
| 2012 | -2.84 % change on previous year | -197.7% |
| 2013 | 34.44 % change on previous year | -1314.8% |
| 2014 | -27.36 % change on previous year | -179.4% |
| 2015 | -55.74 % change on previous year | +103.7% |
| 2016 | 194.93 % change on previous year | -449.7% |
| 2017 | 47.99 % change on previous year | -75.4% |
| 2018 | -31.99 % change on previous year | -166.7% |
| 2019 | -20.92 % change on previous year | -34.6% |
| 2020 | -9.02 % change on previous year | -56.9% |
| 2021 | 151.69 % change on previous year | -1781.0% |
| 2022 | 13.53 % change on previous year | -91.1% |
| 2023 | -23.97 % change on previous year | -277.2% |
| 2024 | -32.45 % change on previous year | +35.4% |
| 2025 | 22.87 % change on previous year | -170.5% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 22.87 % change on previous year is above the median for high income countries, which is 10.75 % change on previous year, 2.1× the median. (73 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 22.87 % change on previous year is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 10.67 % change on previous year, 2.1× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current) … inflows annual in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | +1853.3% | -5.32 % change on previous year | 93.26 % change on previous year |
| 2021 | +1781.0% | -9.02 % change on previous year | 151.69 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16.92 % change on previous year | -99.19 % change on previous year | 200 % change on previous year | 7 |
| 1980s | 44.4 % change on previous year | -72.62 % change on previous year | 229.3 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 31.28 % change on previous year | -31.17 % change on previous year | 118.82 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.91 % change on previous year | -43.33 % change on previous year | 89.65 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.67 % change on previous year | -55.74 % change on previous year | 194.93 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.44 % change on previous year | -32.45 % change on previous year | 151.69 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 71 Rwanda 25.19 % change on previous year compare
- 72 Mongolia 23.79 % change on previous year compare
- 73 Ethiopia 23.25 % change on previous year compare
- 75 Benin 22.59 % change on previous year compare
- 76 Nicaragua 21.4 % change on previous year compare
- 77 Malawi 20.57 % change on previous year compare
More economy & growth data for South Korea
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 7.89 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0085 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 307.17 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 2.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0062 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 224.29 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0047 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per capita 168.75 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, SDR, annual growth rate -0.4147 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), annual in South Korea?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), annual in South Korea was 22.87 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), annual recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 229.3 % change on previous year in 1981.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), annual recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -99.19 % change on previous year in 1973.
- How does South Korea rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), annual?
- South Korea ranks 74th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), annual rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 141.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 53 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$). Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows 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
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$). Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.