The Bank of Korea has published preliminary 2025 international investment position data by region and currency, showing a marked rise in Korea’s cross-border financial positions. External assets excluding reserve assets increased to USD 2,439.6 billion from USD 2,094.7 billion in 2024, while liabilities rose more sharply to USD 1,981.9 billion from USD 1,423.9 billion. On both sides of the balance sheet, portfolio investment accounted for most of the increase, with assets up USD 265.6 billion and liabilities up USD 524.1 billion. By region, the largest increase in assets was in the United States, where holdings rose USD 204.2 billion to USD 1,149.2 billion, followed by the European Union at USD 307.5 billion, up USD 49.5 billion. Assets in China fell USD 4.1 billion to USD 139.8 billion. On the liabilities side, the biggest increases were also linked to the United States, up USD 202.1 billion to USD 523.1 billion, the European Union, up USD 103.6 billion to USD 331.6 billion, Southeast Asia, up USD 70.2 billion to USD 391.4 billion, and other regions, up USD 125.0 billion to USD 438.7 billion. By currency, asset growth was led by U.S. dollar-denominated positions, which increased USD 224.9 billion to USD 1,513.6 billion, followed by euro-denominated assets, up USD 37.3 billion to USD 223.1 billion. Liability growth was concentrated in Korean won-denominated positions, which rose USD 522.4 billion to USD 1,401.2 billion, while U.S. dollar-denominated liabilities increased USD 29.9 billion to USD 443.4 billion.

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