Two-way investment brief

Australia–South Korea

At the end of 2025, investors from South Korea held A$6.7 bn of direct investment in Australia, making it Australia’s 18th-largest source of foreign direct investment (0.5% of the total). That stock fell 3.6% over the year and has grown 7.7% a year on average over the past decade. Australian direct investment in South Korea was A$669 m — the 27th-largest destination for Australian direct investment abroad. The relationship is weighted towards South Korea investing in Australia (10.0× Australia’s direct investment there). South Korea was Australia’s 4th-largest two-way trading partner in 2025 (goods and services, A$67.2 bn; 5.1% of Australia’s trade). Globally, South Korea was the world’s 13th-largest source of FDI outflows in 2024 ($49.7 bn, World Bank).

Data (CSV)South Korea global profile

South Korea direct investment in Australia

A$6.7 bn

−3.6%vs 202418th largest

Total South Korea investment in Australia

A$31.8 bn

20th largest · 0.6%

Australian direct investment in South Korea

A$669 m

+1.4%vs 202427th largest destination

Total Australian investment in South Korea

A$35.7 bn

Levels at 31 Dec 2025

Trend

Direct investment in both directions

Direct investment levels, Australia–South Korea

South Korea in Australia
Australia in South Korea

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

South Korea’s investment in Australia by type

Direct investment
Portfolio investment
Other investment

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

Annual direct investment flows

Net transactions during the year; negative = net disinvestment

South Korea → Australia
Australia → South Korea

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

Trade relationship

Australia–South Korea trade

Investment and trade move together: the partners that invest most in Australia are usually major trading partners too. Goods trade is recorded monthly (latest: July 2026); services annually.

Two-way trade, 2025

A$67.2 bn

4th largest partner · 5.1%

Goods exports to South Korea, 2025

A$41.2 bn

12 months to July 2026: A$43.7 bn

Goods imports from South Korea, 2025

A$21.9 bn

12 months to July 2026: A$29.2 bn

Services trade, 2025

A$4.0 bn

Exports A$2.7 bn · imports A$1.3 bn

Goods trade

Calendar years, A$ (ABS merchandise trade)

Exports to South Korea
Imports from South Korea

Source: ABS, International Merchandise Trade (MERCH_EXP / MERCH_IMP), summed to calendar years.

Services trade

Calendar years, A$ (ABS international trade in services by country)

Exports to South Korea
Imports from South Korea

Source: ABS, International Trade in Services by Country, calendar years.

Economic outlook

South Korea’s economy

IMF World Economic Outlook	2024	2025	2026forecast	2027forecast	2028forecast
Real GDP growth	2.0%	1.0%	1.9%	2.1%	2.2%
Inflation	2.3%	2.1%	2.5%	1.9%	2.0%
Unemployment rate	2.8%	2.8%	2.8%	2.9%	2.8%
Current account, % GDP	5.3%	6.6%	5.6%	5.4%	5.3%
Fiscal balance, % GDP	−0.8%	−1.4%	−1.5%	−1.3%	−1.3%
Government gross debt, % GDP	49.7%	52.3%	54.4%	56.6%	58.5%

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook via the IMF DataMapper API. Years from 2026 are IMF projections; recent years may be estimates and are revised in each WEO round (April and October).

2025 at a glance

New FDI from South Korea: −A$209 m
New Australian FDI in South Korea: A$101 m
Direct investment income paid to investors: A$245 m
Direct investment income earned by Australians: A$19 m

South Korea globally (World Bank)

FDI outflows, 2024: $49.7 bn · 13th
FDI inflows, 2025: $15.8 bn
GDP, 2025: $1.87 tn
Region · income: East Asia & Pacific · High income

Regulatory openness (OECD FDIRRI)

OECD index data loading — see FDI openness

Sources: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (cat. 5352.0), 2025 release, released 2026-05-06 — levels at 31 December and calendar-year flows and income, A$ millions, immediate counterparty basis (investment routed via third economies is attributed to the intermediate economy). World Bank WDI (US$). OECD FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index. np = not published for confidentiality; included in totalsPrepared independently by FDIstats from public statistics; not an Australian Government publication and not investment advice. For foreign investment rules, see the Treasury and FIRB.