Country profile
South Korea
East Asia & Pacific · High income · Capital: Seoul
Key figures, 2025
FDI inflows 2025
$15.8 bn
Inflows % of GDP
0.8%
FDI outflows
$41.2 bn
Net FDI
−$25.4 bn
FDI % of investment
3.0%
In 2025, South Korea recorded FDI net inflows of $15.8 bn, up 23% from $12.9 bn in 2024. That is 10% below its 2020–2024 average of $17.6 bn. By value, that ranks 21st of 97 economies with data for 2025. Inflows peaked at $25.0 bn in 2022 (data begin in 1970). Inflows were equivalent to 0.8% of GDP in 2025 — below the East Asia & Pacific aggregate (1.3%) and below the world as a whole (1.3%).
About this summary
Generated automatically from World Bank data. Figures are balance-of-payments net flows in current US$; 2025 is the latest year with broad coverage across economies.Trends
FDI flows over time
Net flows, current US$ (balance-of-payments basis)
- Inflows
- Outflows
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0). Indicators BX.KLT.DINV.CD.WD and BM.KLT.DINV.CD.WD.
South Korea compared with its region and the world
- South Korea
- East Asia & Pacific (aggregate)
- World
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0). Indicator BX.KLT.DINV.WD.GD.ZS.
FDI vs remittances, aid and portfolio equity, current US$
- FDI inflows
- Remittances
- Aid (ODA)
- Portfolio equity
FDI is only one of the ways foreign money reaches an economy. For many developing economies, remittances from workers abroad or official aid are larger and more stable; portfolio equity is typically the most volatile.
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0). Indicators BX.KLT.DINV.CD.WD, BX.TRF.PWKR.CD.DT, DT.ODA.ODAT.CD, BX.PEF.TOTL.CD.WD.
Economy at a glance
The economy behind the investment
The macroeconomic, trade and workforce indicators investors and trade officials look at alongside FDI — latest year, 15-year trend and regional and world benchmarks.
| 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).
Size & growth
GDP
$1.87 tn2025
13th of 186
GDP per capita
$36,2272025
32nd of 186Region $14,077World $14,406
GNI per capita (PPP)
$64,2102025
27th of 181Region $29,315World $25,517
Population
51.7 m2025
29th of 217
Population growth
−0.1%2025
182nd of 217Region 0.1%World 0.9%
Trade & structure
Exports of goods & services
$857 bn2025
9th of 138
Imports of goods & services
$760 bn2025
10th of 138
Trade openness (% of GDP)
86.4%2025
62nd of 138Region 63.8%World 68.5%
Manufacturing, % of GDP
27.4%2025
5th of 132Region 22.3%World 14.9%
Services, % of GDP
57.2%2025
77th of 158Region 59.8%World 63.3%
High-tech exports, % of manufactured exports
36.3%2024
12th of 125Region 34.7%World 24.7%
Workforce & innovation
Labour force
29.9 m2025
23rd of 182
R&D expenditure, % of GDP
4.9%2023
3rd of 84Region 2.8%World 2.6%
Internet users, % of population
97.9%2024
13th of 182Region 86.6%World 71.2%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Latest available year shown for each indicator; ranks are among economies reporting that year (highest = 1st). Region = World Bank regional aggregate. Growth, inflation, unemployment, the current account and government debt are shown in the IMF table above where the IMF covers the economy.
Who invests
Source and destination economies
Direct investment positions (stocks) by immediate counterpart economy, as reported to the OECD.
No bilateral positions for this economy
Structure & policy
Sectors and FDI openness
Inward FDI positions by sector
No sector breakdown
FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness
IndexNot covered by the index
Peers
Similar-sized economies in East Asia & Pacific
The six economies in the same World Bank region with the closest GDP, ranked by FDI inflows as a share of GDP (2024).
- 🇸🇬Singapore23.6%
- 🇻🇳Vietnam4.2%
- 🇦🇺Australia3.1%
- 🇹🇭Thailand2.7%
- 🇮🇩Indonesia1.7%
- 🇰🇷South Korea0.7%
- 🇯🇵Japan0.5%
Sources & notes
World Bank, World Development Indicators
- FDI net inflows —
BX.KLT.DINV.CD.WD - FDI net outflows —
BM.KLT.DINV.CD.WD - FDI net inflows, % of GDP —
BX.KLT.DINV.WD.GD.ZS - Gross fixed capital formation —
NE.GDI.FTOT.CD - Personal remittances received —
BX.TRF.PWKR.CD.DT - Net official development assistance received —
DT.ODA.ODAT.CD - Portfolio equity net inflows —
BX.PEF.TOTL.CD.WD - Real GDP growth —
NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG - Inflation (annual average) —
FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG - Unemployment rate —
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS - Current account balance, % of GDP —
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS - Exports of goods & services —
NE.EXP.GNFS.CD - Central government debt, % of GDP —
GC.DOD.TOTL.GD.ZS
OECD: FDI statistics by partner economy and by industry (Benchmark Definition, 4th edition) and the FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index.
Flows vs positions. Charts on this page show annual balance-of-payments flows. Bilateral and sector figures are positions (accumulated stocks) and are not directly comparable.
Negative values. Net flows can be negative when foreign investors withdraw capital or intra-company loans are repaid faster than new investment arrives.
Timing. Headline figures use 2025, the latest year with broad coverage across economies; charts also show any newer early estimates. Rankings cover economies only, not aggregates.
Counterparts. Bilateral data record the immediate counterpart, so financial centres and conduit economies can appear larger than the ultimate investors behind them.