South Korea’s Overseas Direct Investment Topped US$10 Billion in Q1

May 17, 2016Updated May 28, 20251 min read

The Ministry of Strategy & Finance announced on May 12 that South Korean enterprises’ and individuals’ overseas direct investment increased by 29.5% from a year ago to US$10.3 billion in the first quarter of this year, breaking the US$10 billion mark for the first time in four years.

The amount has continued to increase since early last year. It rose by 32.8% from US$34.44 billion to US$45.74 billion between 2010 and 2011 and then fell 13.3% to US$39.65 billion and 10.1% to US$35.64 billion in 2012 and 2013, respectively. However, it rebounzded to US$40.23 billion last year after edging down by 1.8% to US$35 billion in 2014.

The overseas direct investment by the banking and insurance sector increased by 96.3% year on year to US$4.02 billion in the first quarter of this year. During the same period, that by the manufacturing sector totaled US$2.76 billion with a year-on-year growth rate of 33.6%. Meanwhile, that by the mining sector fell 13.8% and that by wholesale and retail dropped by 42.3%.

The amount of the investment in Asia soared by 64.3% to US$2.95 billion to take up 28.6% of the total. That in Latin America jumped by 75.4% to US$2.35 billion. In contrast, that in North America declined by 10.9% to US$2.73 billion while that in Oceania dropped by 30%. By country, those in China and Vietnam increased by 93% and 36.3%, respectively. On the contrary, those in the United States and Canada fell 8.2% and 60.9%.

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Mei Ling Tan

Contributor · RetailNews.asia

Mei Ling Tan is the Editor of Retail News Asia, where she leads the editorial team in delivering in-depth coverage of Asia’s dynamic retail landscape. With over a decade of experience in business journalism, Mei Ling is known for her sharp analysis, deep industry insights, and commitment to uncovering the stories behind Asia’s most innovative retail brands. Before joining Retail News Asia, Mei Ling held senior reporting roles at regional business publications, covering everything from consumer trends to digital transformation in retail. A graduate of the National University of Singapore with a degree in Communications and New Media, she combines journalistic integrity with a strong understanding of evolving market forces. Outside the newsroom, Mei Ling is a frequent speaker at industry panels and a mentor for young journalists.

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