Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea: Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP was 2.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Republic of Korea, 1971–2025
Source: International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Republic of Korea is 2.2%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 16.9% on the previous year and up 43.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Republic of Korea peaked at 3.7% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1972.
That places Republic of Korea 23rd out of 189 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Republic of Korea, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 0.0% | — |
| 1972 | 0.0% | -69.7% |
| 1973 | 0.0% | +56.3% |
| 1974 | 0.1% | +395.8% |
| 1975 | 0.0% | -74.4% |
| 1976 | 0.0% | +9.3% |
| 1977 | 0.1% | +172.1% |
| 1978 | 0.1% | -1.4% |
| 1979 | 0.0% | -54.6% |
| 1980 | 0.1% | +167.7% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | +27.4% |
| 1982 | 0.2% | +180.4% |
| 1983 | 0.2% | -18.1% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | -51.9% |
| 1985 | 0.6% | +545.6% |
| 1986 | 1.1% | +80.6% |
| 1987 | 0.4% | -66.2% |
| 1988 | 0.4% | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 0.3% | -18.8% |
| 1990 | 0.4% | +35.2% |
| 1991 | 0.5% | +20.3% |
| 1992 | 0.4% | -19.7% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | -5.1% |
| 1994 | 0.5% | +51.9% |
| 1995 | 0.7% | +22.1% |
| 1996 | 0.8% | +18.9% |
| 1997 | 0.7% | -4.6% |
| 1998 | 1.1% | +41.9% |
| 1999 | 0.8% | -27.6% |
| 2000 | 0.8% | +5.3% |
| 2001 | 0.5% | -40.4% |
| 2002 | 0.5% | +9.4% |
| 2003 | 0.7% | +30.3% |
| 2004 | 0.9% | +26.9% |
| 2005 | 0.9% | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 1.1% | +33.8% |
| 2007 | 1.8% | +55.9% |
| 2008 | 1.8% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 1.8% | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 2.4% | +33.7% |
| 2011 | 2.3% | -4.1% |
| 2012 | 2.3% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 2.0% | -13.9% |
| 2014 | 1.8% | -8.9% |
| 2015 | 1.5% | -14.5% |
| 2016 | 1.9% | +23.0% |
| 2017 | 2.0% | +5.3% |
| 2018 | 2.1% | +5.2% |
| 2019 | 2.0% | -3.9% |
| 2020 | 2.0% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 3.4% | +70.1% |
| 2022 | 3.7% | +7.6% |
| 2023 | 1.7% | -52.3% |
| 2024 | 2.7% | +52.0% |
| 2025 | 2.2% | -16.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 9 |
| 1980s | 0.3% | 0.1% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.1% | 0.5% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.0% | 1.5% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.6% | 1.7% | 3.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Republic of Korea
More economy & growth data for Republic of Korea
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2743 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per capita 9,936 current US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP 390.12 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per capita 14.13 million current LCU per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.292 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per capita 10,578 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per capita 12.06 million constant LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual 1.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 0.3433 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 12,437 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Republic of Korea?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Republic of Korea was 2.2% in 2025, according to International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 3.7% in 2022.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1972.
- How does Republic of Korea rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp?
- Republic of Korea ranks 23rd out of 189 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Republic of Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 43.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Republic of Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net outflows of foreign direct investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world.