South Korea's $73.6 Billion U.S. Stocks Purchase in 2025

In 2025, South Korea became the third largest buyer of U.S. stocks, purchasing net $73.6 billion, nearly five times more than 2024. This trend occurred despite the domestic Kospi index achieving 75% returns in the previous year. U.S. investments constitute 63.4% of South Korea's total foreign portfolio, significantly higher than the averages for advanced (25.3%) and emerging economies (36.8%). Retail investors, known as 'seohak ants', are central to this shift, representing 60% to 70% of annual trading volume, driven by perceptions of higher returns from U.S. stocks.