Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Korea
Korea: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 41.23 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. β Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Korea, 1971β2025
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$.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Korea stood at 41.23 billion BoP, current US$.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 17.1% on the previous year and up 74.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Korea peaked at 66.00 billion BoP, current US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.00 million BoP, current US$, in 1972.
That places Korea 15th out of 191 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10.60 million BoP, current US$ | 1.00 million BoP, current US$ | 28.00 million BoP, current US$ | 9 |
| 1980s | 442.40 million BoP, current US$ | 42.90 million BoP, current US$ | 1.27 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.96 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.13 billion BoP, current US$ | 4.95 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.29 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.74 billion BoP, current US$ | 21.83 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.59 billion BoP, current US$ | 23.69 billion BoP, current US$ | 38.22 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.29 billion BoP, current US$ | 32.17 billion BoP, current US$ | 66.00 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Korea
- 12 British Virgin Islands 59.45 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 13 Canada 57.17 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 14 Spain 46.38 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 16 Malta 36.46 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 17 India 35.69 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 18 Denmark 30.70 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Korea
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp 5.16 (2025)
- Inflation of consumer prices 2.12 (2025)
- Gdp per capita worldbank constant usd 37,470 (2025)
- Manufacturing value added to gdp 27.43 (2025)
- Gdp worldbank constant usd 1.94 trillion (2025)
- Gdp per capita in international and market dollars 37,470 (2025)
- DEC alternative conversion factor 1,422 LCU per US$ (2025)
- Net secondary income (Net current transfers from abroad) -6.93 trillion current LCU (2025)
- Net secondary income (Net current transfers from abroad) -4.87 billion current US$ (2025)
- Taxes less subsidies on products 185.85 trillion current LCU (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Korea?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Korea was 41.23 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 outflows recorded in Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 66.00 billion BoP, current US$ in 2021.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.00 million BoP, current US$ in 1972.
- How does Korea rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Korea ranks 15th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 74.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this 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 outflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in an 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. This series shows net outflows of investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world. Data are in current U.S. dollars.