Net foreign assets in South Korea
South Korea: Net foreign assets was 627.85 trillion current LCU in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
627.85 trillion current LCU
Change on year
up 18.4%
World rank
4th
of 187 countries
All-time high
627.85 trillion current LCU
in 2024
All-time low
-7.98 trillion current LCU
in 1985
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Net foreign assets in South Korea, 1960–2024
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
The most recent figure for net foreign assets in South Korea is 627.85 trillion current LCU, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 18.4% on the previous year and up 120.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net foreign assets in South Korea peaked at 627.85 trillion current LCU in 2024 and was at its lowest, -7.98 trillion current LCU, in 1985.
That places South Korea 4th out of 187 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net foreign assets in South Korea, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5.71 billion current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 17.13 billion current LCU | +200.2% |
| 1962 | 9.40 billion current LCU | -45.1% |
| 1963 | 2.46 billion current LCU | -73.8% |
| 1964 | 10.33 billion current LCU | +319.7% |
| 1965 | 15.07 billion current LCU | +45.9% |
| 1966 | 46.42 billion current LCU | +208.1% |
| 1967 | 80.56 billion current LCU | +73.5% |
| 1968 | 85.47 billion current LCU | +6.1% |
| 1969 | 107.94 billion current LCU | +26.3% |
| 1970 | 113.69 billion current LCU | +5.3% |
| 1971 | 45.57 billion current LCU | -59.9% |
| 1972 | 114.40 billion current LCU | +151.1% |
| 1973 | 309.25 billion current LCU | +170.3% |
| 1974 | -67.28 billion current LCU | -121.8% |
| 1975 | 90.87 billion current LCU | -235.1% |
| 1976 | 549.43 billion current LCU | +504.6% |
| 1977 | 1.45 trillion current LCU | +163.7% |
| 1978 | 1.03 trillion current LCU | -29.3% |
| 1979 | 515.02 billion current LCU | -49.8% |
| 1980 | -234.53 billion current LCU | -145.5% |
| 1981 | -1.98 trillion current LCU | +743.6% |
| 1982 | -4.19 trillion current LCU | +112.0% |
| 1983 | -4.94 trillion current LCU | +17.7% |
| 1984 | -6.00 trillion current LCU | +21.5% |
| 1985 | -7.98 trillion current LCU | +33.1% |
| 1986 | -6.27 trillion current LCU | -21.4% |
| 1987 | -1.76 trillion current LCU | -71.9% |
| 1988 | 7.11 trillion current LCU | -503.6% |
| 1989 | 8.99 trillion current LCU | +26.6% |
| 1990 | 10.16 trillion current LCU | +13.0% |
| 1991 | 8.15 trillion current LCU | -19.8% |
| 1992 | 12.19 trillion current LCU | +49.6% |
| 1993 | 17.66 trillion current LCU | +44.9% |
| 1994 | 20.26 trillion current LCU | +14.8% |
| 1995 | 22.36 trillion current LCU | +10.4% |
| 1996 | 19.94 trillion current LCU | -10.9% |
| 1997 | 18.16 trillion current LCU | -8.9% |
| 1998 | 50.02 trillion current LCU | +175.4% |
| 1999 | 86.10 trillion current LCU | +72.2% |
| 2000 | 126.06 trillion current LCU | +46.4% |
| 2001 | 137.32 trillion current LCU | +8.9% |
| 2002 | 125.03 trillion current LCU | -9.0% |
| 2003 | 158.65 trillion current LCU | +26.9% |
| 2004 | 187.23 trillion current LCU | +18.0% |
| 2005 | 187.63 trillion current LCU | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 175.90 trillion current LCU | -6.3% |
| 2007 | 214.46 trillion current LCU | +21.9% |
| 2008 | 134.51 trillion current LCU | -37.3% |
| 2009 | 225.80 trillion current LCU | +67.9% |
| 2010 | 254.50 trillion current LCU | +12.7% |
| 2011 | 215.27 trillion current LCU | -15.4% |
| 2012 | 224.24 trillion current LCU | +4.2% |
| 2013 | 259.60 trillion current LCU | +15.8% |
| 2014 | 284.30 trillion current LCU | +9.5% |
| 2015 | 354.51 trillion current LCU | +24.7% |
| 2016 | 399.04 trillion current LCU | +12.6% |
| 2017 | 399.27 trillion current LCU | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 417.93 trillion current LCU | +4.7% |
| 2019 | 441.33 trillion current LCU | +5.6% |
| 2020 | 451.17 trillion current LCU | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 467.50 trillion current LCU | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 485.12 trillion current LCU | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 530.28 trillion current LCU | +9.3% |
| 2024 | 627.85 trillion current LCU | +18.4% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 627.85 trillion current LCU is above the median for high income countries, which is 113.77 billion current LCU, 5518.7× the median. (61 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 627.85 trillion current LCU is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 348.82 billion current LCU, 1799.9× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net foreign assets 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 current LCU | -1.98 trillion current LCU |
| 1976 | +504.6% | 90.87 billion current LCU | 549.43 billion current LCU |
| 1988 | +503.6% | -1.76 trillion current LCU | 7.11 trillion current LCU |
| 1964 | +319.7% | 2.46 billion current LCU | 10.33 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 38.05 billion current LCU | 2.46 billion current LCU | 107.94 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | 414.52 billion current LCU | -67.28 billion current LCU | 1.45 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | -1.73 trillion current LCU | -7.98 trillion current LCU | 8.99 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.50 trillion current LCU | 8.15 trillion current LCU | 86.10 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 167.26 trillion current LCU | 125.03 trillion current LCU | 225.80 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 325.00 trillion current LCU | 215.27 trillion current LCU | 441.33 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 512.38 trillion current LCU | 451.17 trillion current LCU | 627.85 trillion current LCU | 5 |
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 net foreign assets in South Korea?
- Net foreign assets in South Korea was 627.85 trillion current LCU in 2024, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net foreign assets recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 627.85 trillion current LCU in 2024.
- What is the lowest net foreign assets recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -7.98 trillion current LCU in 1985.
- How does South Korea rank for net foreign assets?
- South Korea ranks 4th out of 187 countries with data for 2024.
- Is net foreign assets rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 120.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Net foreign assets (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Net foreign assets are the sum of foreign assets held by monetary authorities and deposit money banks, less their foreign liabilities. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.