South Korea

Economy & industry overview

South Korea is a highly developed, export-driven economy and the 14th largest globally by nominal GDP, with nominal output of approximately $1.875 trillion in 2024. The economy is anchored by globally competitive industries in semiconductors, consumer electronics, automobiles, shipbuilding, chemicals, and steel, with conglomerates (chaebols) such as Samsung, SK, Hyundai, LG, and POSCO playing central roles. South Korea is a founding member of the OECD, G20, RCEP, and APEC, and maintains a significant trade relationship with China, the United States, and the EU. The country faces structural challenges including a rapidly aging population, declining fertility, and household debt, while the semiconductor and battery sectors have been key growth drivers amid the global AI boom. The Korea Exchange (KRX) hosts one of Asia's largest equity markets, with total KOSPI market capitalization exceeding $2.4 trillion as of late 2025.

Key sectors

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Macro

GDP nominal, USD	$1.88T
GDP growth real, annual	2.0%
Inflation annual	2.3%
Population people	51.5M
GDP per capita USD	$36,239
Market cap total listed, USD	$2.40T
Market cap / GDP	128.0%
Unemployment	2.6%
Listed companies	962
Exchange	Korea Exchange (KRX)

Data year: 2024. Sources: IMF World Economic Outlook (October 2025), World Bank National Accounts, Statistics Korea (KOSIS), Korea Exchange (KRX), Macrotrends, Wikipedia – Economy of South Korea, Baker McKenzie Cross-Border Listings Guide, ETF Trends, iShares (BlackRock), Franklin Templeton, OECD Employment Outlook 2025, Trading Economics.

Local exchange & access

Exchange	Korea Exchange
Code	KRX
Website	www.krx.co.kr
Currency	KRW

Local broker access

Direct retail access to the Korea Exchange (KRX/KOSPI/KOSDAQ) for non-resident foreign investors requires a Foreign Investment Registration Certificate (IRC) from the Financial Services Commission and a local Korean brokerage account. Interactive Brokers is among the few international retail brokers offering direct KRX access to non-Korean residents. Most non-Korean retail investors gain exposure via US-listed ETFs such as EWY or FLKR, or through US-listed ADRs of major Korean companies. Foreign investors are subject to Korean withholding tax on dividends, generally at 22% (including local surtax), reducible under applicable tax treaties.

Global brokers with foreign-market access

• Interactive Brokers — Direct access to 90+ markets worldwide, including many emerging exchanges.
• Saxo Bank — Multi-market access across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
• Charles Schwab (Global) — Foreign ordinary shares on select markets; US-listed ADRs and ETFs.
• Fidelity International Trading — International stock trading on a number of developed and emerging markets.

Listed for convenience only — not a recommendation. Available markets, fees and onboarding rules differ by broker and by your country of residence.

Relocation & residency

Foreign-investor access

Foreign nationals may reside in South Korea under various visa categories. The D-8-4 investor visa and F-2 long-term residency are available to qualifying foreign investors. South Korea has universal healthcare and a high standard of living. Obtaining permanent residency (F-5) typically requires 5 years of continuous legal residence or qualifying investment. Citizenship requires renunciation of prior citizenship as South Korea does not generally permit dual nationality for naturalized citizens.