South Korea’s overseas direct investment rose 32.3% year on year to $20.52 billion in the second quarter of 2026, according to the Ministry of Finance and Economy. The quarterly total was the highest since comparable statistics began 45 years ago. The increase from $15.5 billion a year earlier marked the fourth consecutive quarter of annual growth since the third quarter of 2025, with a boom in U.S. financial stocks and expanded entry into Japan’s gaming market helping drive the rise. Financial and insurance investment climbed 33.4% to $10.48 billion, while manufacturing investment rose 3.2% to $3.57 billion. Investment in information and communication more than tripled to $2.73 billion. By destination, investment in the United States increased 53.6% to $8.86 billion, Japan received $2.46 billion compared with $300 million a year earlier, and Luxembourg attracted $1.59 billion, up 14.2%.