“Increasing focus on financial insurance and information and communications”… Investment in the US 53.6%↑

Increasing focus on finance, insurance, and information and communications... Investment in the US 53.6%↑

(Sejong = Yonhap News) Reporter Song Jeong-eun = Korea's foreign direct investment has increased for four consecutive quarters.

According to the foreign direct investment trend announced by the Ministry of Finance and Economy on the 10th, the amount of foreign direct investment (based on total investment amount) in the second quarter of this year (April to June) was $20.52 billion, a 32.3% increase from a year ago ($15.5 billion).

Although it decreased slightly from the first quarter ($22.12 billion), compared to the same period last year, investment continued to increase for four consecutive quarters since the third quarter of last year.

The Ministry of Finance and Economy analyzed that overseas direct investment increased in the second quarter due to an increase in investment in the financial and insurance industries for the purpose of global diversification to diversify profits and the expansion of overseas expansion of Korean companies centered on the information and communication industry.

The size of investment by industry was finance and insurance (USD 10.48 billion), manufacturing (USD 3.57 billion), information and communication (USD 2.73 billion), and science and technology services and real estate (USD 660 million each).

Among the top five industries, all industries except real estate (-7.5%) showed an increase, and the increase rate in the information and communication industry was especially notable (265.3%).

By region, it was North America (USD 9.19 billion), Asia (USD 5.57 billion), Europe (USD 2.98 billion), and Central and South America (USD 2.14 billion).

In particular, investment in Asia increased by 68.8%, and investment in North America also increased by 50.3%.

The United States had the largest investment amount by country at $8.86 billion. This is a 53.6% increase from a year ago.

This was followed by Japan (USD 2.46 billion), Luxembourg (USD 1.59 billion), Cayman Islands (USD 1.54 billion), and Indonesia (USD 1.02 billion).

The government announced that it will closely monitor trends in overseas direct investment in situations where external economic and investment conditions, such as changes in monetary policy in each country, are changing and will strengthen communication and cooperation with major investment target countries to ensure that companies advancing overseas can conduct stable business activities.