Bank of Korea raises gold ETF holdings 40.8% in third quarter

Nov 15, 2026 00:54 (4h ago)

Bank of Korea increased its SPDR Gold Trust holding by 40.8% during the third quarter.
Fourth-quarter gold-price declines are estimated to have reduced the holding’s value by over 32 billion won.
The central bank resumed gold investment after a 13-year gap and is preparing to buy domestic physical gold.

The Bank of Korea increased its holding of the U.S.-listed SPDR Gold Trust (GLD), a gold exchange-traded fund, by 40.8% in the third quarter as it resumed a gold-investment program after a 13-year gap. Its position reached 956,869 shares valued at $364.41 million, or about 488.3 billion won, according to the central bank’s third-quarter Form 13F filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, released on the 15th. A sharp decline in international gold prices in the fourth quarter is estimated to have erased more than 32 billion won, approximately $23.9 million, from the value of the holding. The BOK is pursuing broader medium- to long-term gold exposure and expects to complete preparations after mid-December to buy physical gold from domestic producers at international market prices. Its target covers total exposure to physical gold and gold-linked financial products, rather than a separate allocation for GLD or other ETFs. The bank has not disclosed the target weighting or the timeline for achieving it.