South Korea's FDI arrivals hit record $14.87 billion in first nine months

Foreign direct investment actually invested in South Korea reached a record $14.87 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 30.6% year on year, driven by semiconductor materials, equipment and AI data centers. FDI declarations rose 10.8% to $22.9 billion.

• FDI arrivals for the nine months reached $14.87 billion, up 30.6% year on year
• Investment declarations rose 10.8% to $22.9 billion
• Electricity, gas and water investment surged 279.5%
• The U.S. led with $6.69 billion in declarations, up 35.1%