Foreign Assets, Net Foreign Assets (Depository Corporations Survey) in South Korea
South Korea: Foreign Assets, Net Foreign Assets (Depository Corporations Survey) was 276.62 trillion in 2012. ◆ Volatile
Foreign Assets, Net Foreign Assets in South Korea, 1951–2012
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
In 2012, foreign assets, net foreign assets in South Korea stood at 276.62 trillion. That is the highest value across all 62 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.6% on the previous year and up 108.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign assets, net foreign assets in South Korea peaked at 276.62 trillion in 2012 and was at its lowest, -7.98 trillion, in 1985.
That places South Korea 3rd out of 178 countries with data for 2012, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign Assets, Net Foreign Assets (Depository Corporations Survey) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 200.00 million | — |
| 1952 | 500.00 million | +150.0% |
| 1953 | 1.40 billion | +180.0% |
| 1954 | 1.00 billion | -28.6% |
| 1955 | 1.30 billion | +30.0% |
| 1956 | 1.20 billion | -7.7% |
| 1957 | 1.40 billion | +16.7% |
| 1958 | 3.10 billion | +121.4% |
| 1959 | 3.60 billion | +16.1% |
| 1960 | 5.71 billion | +58.5% |
| 1961 | 17.13 billion | +200.2% |
| 1962 | 9.40 billion | -45.1% |
| 1963 | 2.46 billion | -73.8% |
| 1964 | 10.33 billion | +319.7% |
| 1965 | 15.07 billion | +45.9% |
| 1966 | 46.42 billion | +208.1% |
| 1967 | 80.56 billion | +73.5% |
| 1968 | 85.47 billion | +6.1% |
| 1969 | 107.94 billion | +26.3% |
| 1970 | 113.69 billion | +5.3% |
| 1971 | 45.57 billion | -59.9% |
| 1972 | 114.40 billion | +151.1% |
| 1973 | 309.25 billion | +170.3% |
| 1974 | -67.28 billion | -121.8% |
| 1975 | 90.87 billion | -235.1% |
| 1976 | 549.43 billion | +504.6% |
| 1977 | 1.45 trillion | +163.7% |
| 1978 | 1.03 trillion | -29.3% |
| 1979 | 515.02 billion | -49.8% |
| 1980 | -234.53 billion | -145.5% |
| 1981 | -1.98 trillion | +743.6% |
| 1982 | -4.19 trillion | +112.0% |
| 1983 | -4.94 trillion | +17.7% |
| 1984 | -6.00 trillion | +21.5% |
| 1985 | -7.98 trillion | +33.1% |
| 1986 | -6.27 trillion | -21.4% |
| 1987 | -1.76 trillion | -71.9% |
| 1988 | 7.11 trillion | -503.6% |
| 1989 | 8.99 trillion | +26.6% |
| 1990 | 10.16 trillion | +13.0% |
| 1991 | 8.15 trillion | -19.8% |
| 1992 | 12.19 trillion | +49.6% |
| 1993 | 17.66 trillion | +44.9% |
| 1994 | 20.26 trillion | +14.8% |
| 1995 | 22.36 trillion | +10.4% |
| 1996 | 19.94 trillion | -10.9% |
| 1997 | 18.16 trillion | -8.9% |
| 1998 | 50.02 trillion | +175.4% |
| 1999 | 86.10 trillion | +72.2% |
| 2000 | 126.06 trillion | +46.4% |
| 2001 | 144.99 trillion | +15.0% |
| 2002 | 132.47 trillion | -8.6% |
| 2003 | 170.39 trillion | +28.6% |
| 2004 | 195.72 trillion | +14.9% |
| 2005 | 195.07 trillion | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 176.09 trillion | -9.7% |
| 2007 | 157.42 trillion | -10.6% |
| 2008 | 133.87 trillion | -15.0% |
| 2009 | 206.25 trillion | +54.1% |
| 2010 | 244.06 trillion | +18.3% |
| 2011 | 264.38 trillion | +8.3% |
| 2012 | 276.62 trillion | +4.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 276.62 trillion is above the median for high income countries, which is 51.62 billion, 5358.4× the median. (60 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 276.62 trillion is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 245.21 billion, 1128.1× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign Assets, Net Foreign Assets (Depository Corporations Survey) in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | -743.6% | -234.53 billion | -1.98 trillion |
| 1976 | +504.6% | 90.87 billion | 549.43 billion |
| 1988 | +503.6% | -1.76 trillion | 7.11 trillion |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.52 billion | 200.00 million | 3.60 billion | 9 |
| 1960s | 38.05 billion | 2.46 billion | 107.94 billion | 10 |
| 1970s | 414.52 billion | -67.28 billion | 1.45 trillion | 10 |
| 1980s | -1.73 trillion | -7.98 trillion | 8.99 trillion | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.50 trillion | 8.15 trillion | 86.10 trillion | 10 |
| 2000s | 163.83 trillion | 126.06 trillion | 206.25 trillion | 10 |
| 2010s | 261.69 trillion | 244.06 trillion | 276.62 trillion | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More financial sector data for South Korea
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 6.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0016 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 58.67 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 1.21 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0012 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 42.84 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 6.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0016 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 58.67 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 1.21 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign assets, net foreign assets in South Korea?
- Foreign assets, net foreign assets in South Korea was 276.62 trillion in 2012, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest foreign assets, net foreign assets recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 276.62 trillion in 2012.
- What is the lowest foreign assets, net foreign assets recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -7.98 trillion in 1985.
- How does South Korea rank for foreign assets, net foreign assets?
- South Korea ranks 3rd out of 178 countries with data for 2012.
- Is foreign assets, net foreign assets rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 108.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Foreign Assets, Net Foreign Assets (Depository Corporations Survey, Domestic currency). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The Monetary and Financial Statistics (MFS), Non-standard dataset provides discontinued, vintage country-reported financial data that are not harmonized and use country-specific terms.