Doha:South Korea's overseas direct investment saw a substantial increase of 32.3% in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the previous year, driven primarily by the financial and communication sectors.
According to Qatar News Agency, data from South Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance revealed that the country's overseas direct investment reached $20.52 billion during the April-June period, rising from $15.5 billion in the same period of 2025.
The increase is attributed to South Korean businesses' efforts to diversify their global investment portfolios, marking continuous on-year growth since the third quarter of 2025. Notably, investment in the financial and insurance sector surged 33.4% to $10.48 billion, while manufacturing investment grew by 3.2% to $3.57 billion.
In the information and communication sector, investment more than tripled, reaching $2.73 billion.
Investment destinations also saw significant changes, with investment in the United States increasing by 53.6% to $8.86 billion. In Japan, investment rose sharply to $2.46 billion from $300 million the previous year. Additionally, investment in Luxembourg climbed 14.2% to $1.59 billion.