Korea’s OFDI by year
(US $billion, %, y-o-y)
|
Korean OFDI |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
||||
|
Q1 |
Q2 |
Q3 |
Q4 |
Annual |
|||||
|
Amount invested |
58.21 |
76.92 |
81.70 |
65.15 |
16.45 |
16.00 |
14.29 |
17.21 |
63.95 |
|
Change (%) |
-11.5 |
32.1 |
6.2 |
-20.3 |
-7.0 |
-0.7 |
-5.0 |
5.6 |
-1.8 |
Korea’s OFDI by industry
(US $100 million, %, y-o-y)
|
Korean OFDI |
Finance and insurance |
manufacturing |
Real estate and renting |
Mining |
Information and Communication |
|
2023 |
268.9 |
206.1 |
42.7 |
35.0 |
17.6 |
|
2024 |
273.9 |
161.7 |
56.0 |
39.0 |
30.6 |
|
Change (%) |
1.8 |
-21.6 |
31.5 |
11.4 |
73.9 |
Korea’s OFDI by region
(US $100 million, %, y-o-y)
|
Korean OFDI |
North America |
Europe |
Asia |
Latin America |
Oceania |
Africa |
Middle East |
|
2023 |
316.1 |
110.5 |
113.5 |
97.9 |
8.8 |
3.4 |
1.3 |
|
2024 |
258.8 |
138.7 |
124.5 |
91.5 |
16.7 |
5.7 |
3.6 |
|
Change (%) |
-18.1 |
25.5 |
9.7 |
-6.5 |
89.8 |
67.6 |
176.9 |
Korea’s OFDI by country
(US $100 million, %, y-o-y)
|
Korean OFDI |
U.S. |
Cayman Islands |
Luxemburg |
Canada |
Singapore |
|
2023 |
279.9 |
64.3 |
50.1 |
36.2 |
12.8 |
|
2024 |
220.8 |
66.3 |
59.9 |
37.9 |
26.9 |
|
Change (%) |
-21.1 |
3.3 |
19.4 |
4.7 |
110.4 |
In 2024, Korea’s Outbound Foreign Direct Investment (OFDI) showed a relatively steady trend, with a reduced decline compared to the previous year, despite ongoing uncertainties such as global high interest rates and geopolitical risks. This appears to be attributed to a combination of factors, including increased investments by Public Funds’ alternative asset investment in advanced countries and continued investments by Korean companies* in high-tech industries in the United States (such as semiconductors and batteries).
* In 2024, the investment amount in the manufacturing sector (including semiconductors and batteries) in the United States was $3.92 billion, accounting for 24.2% of total manufacturing investment and 17.7% of total U.S. investment.
The government plans to strengthen communication and cooperation with major investment target countries to ensure that Korean companies can continue stable business operations, especially in light of the increasing uncertainty in the trade environment due to rising protectionism and supply chain restructuring.
※ For detailed statistics on Korea’s OFDI in 2024, please refer to the attached supplementary materials. For additional detailed statistics on OFDI, please visit the Export-Import Bank of Korea’s Statistics of Foreign Direct Investment website. (https://stats.koreaexim.go.kr/main.do)