Financial Supervisory Service

www.fss.or.kr

Press Release
March 5, 2015

Foreign Investors Stock and Bond Investment, February 2015

Foreign investors purchased a net KRW600 billion of listed stocks and a net KRW600
billion of listed bonds in February 2015 for a net investment of KRW1.2 trillion for the
month. Foreign investors turned net buyers of local shares and continued to be net buyers
of local bonds. The cumulative holdings of listed stocks and bonds at the end of February
2015 came to KRW437.5 trillion (30.7% of total market capitalization) and KRW101.1
trillion (6.8% of total listed bonds), respectively, for a total of KRW538.2 trillion.
Table 1. Net Stock and Bond Investment, February 2015

Stocks

2014
DEC
-1,932

YEAR
6,285

JAN
-949

FEB
573

Bonds

-117

5,167

55

-2,049

11,452

-894

Total

(In billions of KRW)

Cumulative
holdings
YTD2

2015

-376

437,475

642

697

101,062

1,215

321

538,537

The net total figures for stocks are from on-exchange trading and the net total figures for bonds from both
on- and off-exchange trading.
2
From January to February, 2015;

Table 2. Net Stock Purchases by Region, February 2015

(In billions of KRW)
2014
DEC

2015
JAN

FEB

Europe

-957.7

-1,560.6

514.2

US

-667.5

62.7

250.0

Asia

290.2

350.1

550.8

Table 3. Net Stock Investment, February 2015

2014

DEC
YEAR

2015

JAN
FEB

(In billions of KRW)

Cumulative holdings
Amount
Percent
423,040
31.2

Stocks bought

Stocks sold

Net purchases1

25,264

27,196

-1,932

322,514

316,229

6,285

25,985

26,933

-949

434,155

31.2

24,151

23,578

573

437,475

30.7

YTD
50,135
50,511
-376
Figures include both KOSPI and KOSDAQ trading, but exclude ETF trading; the figures are aggregated
on a settlement basis.
2
From January to February, 2015;
1

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Financial Supervisory Service

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Table 4. Net Bond Purchases by Region, February 2015

(In billions of KRW)
2014
DEC
491.0

Europe

2015
JAN
371.9

FEB
154.2

US

-245.9

41.0

48.8

Asia

-418.4

-269.5

569.6

Table 5. Net Bond Investment, February 2015

(In billions of KRW)
Net purchases

Redemption

Net investment

Cumulative holdings

DEC
4,945
YEAR
37,090
2015 JAN
1,440
FEB
4,338
1
YTD
5,777
1
From January to February, 2015;

5,062
31,923
1,385
3,696
5,080

-117
5,167
55
642
697

100,362
100,417
101,062

2014

Table 6. Net Stock Investment by Country, February 2015

2014

Country

Switzerland
Japan
U.S.
Germany
Singapore
France
Bermuda
Canada
Netherlands
Luxembourg
Arab
Emirates
Saudi Arabia
Others
Total
1
2

(In billions of KRW)

2015
YTD2
FEB
593
590
403
271
313
250
209
200
423
185
274
181
-281
-89
-47
-89
-96
-116
-352
-194

DEC
63
188
-667
-64
72
-107
57
-92
80
-251

YEAR
374
3,196
3,826
-747
1,634
-134
170
-156
299
-243

JAN
3
132
63
9
238
93
-192
42
20
-158

1,378

23

-258

-235

-264
-954

1,473
-4,785

471
-1,693

-280
-77

191
-1,769

-1,932

6,285

-949

573

-376

Countries are ordered by February net stock investment.

From January to February, 2015;

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Financial Supervisory Service

www.fss.or.kr

Table 7. Cumulative Stock Holdings by Country, February 2015

1

Country

2013

2014

FEB 2015

U.S.
U.K.
Luxembourg
Singapore
Saudi Arabia
Ireland
Netherlands
Canada
Norway
Japan
China
Cayman Islands
Arab Emirates
Australia
Switzerland
France
Hong Kong
Others

171,352
42,461
26,720
22,362
15,855
16,322
14,112
12,725
11,590
6,384
8,421
8,490
8,242
8,201
4,933
5,913
3,795
44,363

164,315
37,470
25,729
22,772
16,068
14,597
14,498
11,989
11,582
9,508
9,492
8,435
8,962
8,116
5,141
4,288
3,493
46,583

168,117
35,977
26,213
23,196
16,627
15,364
13,557
12,224
11,476
10,149
10,072
9,288
8,682
8,379
6,101
5,809
5,750
50,493

Total

432,242

423,040

437,475

(In billions of KRW)

2014-FEB 2015
Percent of total
% Chng
2.3
38.4
-4.0
8.2
1.9
6.0
1.9
5.3
3.5
3.8
5.3
3.5
-6.5
3.1
2.0
2.8
-0.9
2.6
6.7
2.3
6.1
2.3
10.1
2.1
-3.1
2.0
3.2
1.9
18.7
1.4
35.5
1.3
64.6
1.3
8.4
11.5
3.4

100.0

Countries are ordered by February cumulative stock holdings.

Table 8. Net Bond Investment by Country, February 2015

1

Country

China
Singapore
France
U.S.
Ireland
Taiwan
Germany
Australia
Cayman
Islands
Hong Kong
Thailand
Israel
Chile
Others
Total
1
2

2014
YEAR
567
-330
151
-246
-19
-23
33
-12

2015
JAN Net purchases
711
398
59
540
250
92
41
1,307
-34
31
-11
26
-2
23
-9
2

(In billions of KRW)

FEB 2015
Redemption Net investment
YTD2
1,109
398
291
308
249
342
92
1,258
90
49
2
-5
29
15
26
20
23
8
-15
-6

-18

-19

58

65

-7

-26

-11
97
58
8
-371

17
32
19
2
-1,002

-4
99
138
-95
1,724

21
176
219
1,657

-25
-77
-80
-95
67

-8
-45
-62
-93
-935

-117

55

4,338

3,696

642

697

Countries are ordered by February net bond investments.

From January to February, 2015;

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Financial Supervisory Service

www.fss.or.kr

Table 9. Cumulative Bond Holdings by Country, February 2015

1

Country

FEB 2015

2013

2014

U.S.
China
Luxembourg
Switzerland
Thailand
Malaysia
Norway
Singapore
France
Kazakhstan
Israel
U.K.
Taiwan
Indonesia
Others

20,058
14,466
12,509
7,022
6,522
7,430
5,146
2,208
2,260
1,380
1,382
1,472
992
442
11,416

18,654
14,709
11,961
8,007
6,508
6,984
5,563
3,487
3,038
2,104
2,051
1,622
919
923
13,830

18,747
15,699
11,879
8,056
6,470
5,910
5,814
3,771
3,325
2,109
1,859
1,586
934
890
13,685

Total

94,704

100,362

101,062

(In billions of KRW)

2014-FEB 2015
Percent
% Chng
of total
0.5
18.6
6.7
15.6
-0.7
11.8
0.6
8.0
-0.6
6.4
-15.4
5.9
4.5
5.8
8.2
3.7
9.4
3.3
0.2
2.1
-9.4
1.8
-2.3
1.6
1.7
0.9
-3.6
0.9
-1.1
13.5
0.7

100.0

Countries are ordered by February cumulative bond holdings.

The change in cumulative bond holdings may not match the change in net bond investment because
net bond investment figures may not include transactions involving repurchase agreements and other
relatively minor transactions.
2

Table 10. Net Bond Investment and Cumulative Holdings by Bond Type, February 2015
KTB

Agency
bonds1

MSB2

Corporate
bonds

(In billions of KRW, percent)

Municipal
Total
bonds3

2014
Net investment
7,128
-1,623
-1,293
-337
-1
5,167
Cumulative
65,889
34,260
33,230
213
0.0
100,362
holdings
(% of total)
(13.4)
(5.8)
(18.7)
(0.1)
(0.0)
(6.9)
FEB 2015
Net purchases
1,381
2,953
2,953
3
4,338
Redemptions
3,695
3,625
0
0
3,696
Net investment
1,381
-742
-672
3
642
YTD 20154
Net investment
1,419
-725
-585
3
697
Cumulative
67,311
33,535
32,645
216
0.0
101,062
holdings
(% of total)
(13.1)
(5.6)
(18.3)
(0.1)
(0.0)
(6.8)
1
Bonds issued by qualified state-affiliated enterprises;
2
Monetary Stabilization Bonds issued by the Bank of Korea;
3
Issued by local government authorities;
4
From January to February, 2015 for net investment; as of end-February for cumulative holdings;

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Financial Supervisory Service

www.fss.or.kr

Table 11. Monthly Net Bond Investment and Cumulative Holdings, February 2015
(In billions of KRW)
Net investment Cumulative holdings
Pct

Net purchase

Redemption

1,344
1,036
2,494
3,857
2,298
5,645
1,978
2,329
4,207
4,662
2,295
4,945
37,090

689
2,840
1,343
2,516
1,492
5,203
1,489
2,411
3,708
3,368
1,803
5,062
31,923

655
-1,804
1,151
1,341
807
442
490
-82
499
1,294
492
-117
5,167

95,591
93,868
95,063
96,393
97,199
97,643
98,132
98,090
98,589
99,879
100,480
100,362
-

6.8
6.6
6.7
6.8
6.8
6.8
6.8
6.8
6.9
6.9
6.9
6.9
-

1,440
4,338
5,777

1,385
3,696
5,080

55
642
697

100,417
101,062

6.8
6.8

2014
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
YEAR
2015
JAN
FEB
YTD

Table 12. Monthly Net Stock Investment by Country, February 2015

U.S.
2014
JAN
287
FEB
-960
MAR
83
APR 1,241
MAY
177
JUN
151
JUL
1,435
AUG
793
SEP
790
OCT
-398
NOV
893
DEC
-667
YEAR 3,825
2015
JAN
63
FEB
250
YTD
313

U.K.

LUX

China Germany Japan Ireland

-830
-230
-1,318
-750
-1,293
-237
3
-440
-1,007
-643
-65
-570
-7,380

-764
-746
-96
592
192
3
176
572
729
-580
-68
-251
-243

32
45
360
686
296
267
199
200
-49
-6
-93
65
2,003

-94
-33
-210
-100
-124
66
7
-24
-366
68
128
-64
-747

-35
-221
-224
55
447
500
562
493
936
331
163
188
3,196

-1,042
-85
-1,126

-158
-194
-352

307
36
343

9
200
209

132
271
403

5/6

Others

-183
1
-176
1,089
-213
372
253
1,836
-82
1,843
-67
30
-71
1,270
140
726
-36 -1,491
23
-920
224
820
-198
-435
-386 6,017
-207
4
-204

-53
92
39

(In billions of KRW)

Cumulative
Total
Pct
holdings
-706
-1,232
-1,245
3,811
1,451
714
3,581
2,460
-493
-2,124
2,002
-1,932
6,285

413,417
425,704
424,636
424,231
437,132
437,481
460,307
455,884
437,767
430,640
438,484
423,040
-

32.1
32.2
31.9
32.1
32.5
32.5
33.1
32.6
32.1
32.1
31.8
31.2
-

-949 434,155
573 437,475
-376

31.2
30.7

Financial Supervisory Service

www.fss.or.kr

Table 13. Monthly Net Bond Investments by Country, February 2015

U.S.
2014
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
YEAR
2015
JAN
FEB
YTD

318
-1,539
5
-16
271
-225
594
-270
-8
-258
-62
-246
-1,435
41
49
90

U.K.

LUX

China Germany Thailand France Others

-200
-38
-280
37
-326
-161
-121
-207
167
182
-361
850
-480
-88
119
37 -1,039
85
145
-23
-31
97
-384
150
202
11
289
-14
4
126
128
-6
319
198
-49
567
210 -2,506 2,200
-35
-2
-37

-92
3
-89

711
398
1,109

-140
35
4
-89
-83
34
-6
-2
7
14
-1
33
-194
-2
23
20

###

Contact Person:
Park Mi-Kyung
Head of Public Relations Team
Public Affairs Office
Financial Supervisory Service
Tel: +82-2-3145-5803
Fax: +82-2-3145-5808
E-mail: pmk620@fss.or.kr

6/6

-318
220
-66
210
-5
216
114
500
346
38
-42
257
-150
-71
-28 -230
131 -395
-80
459
-12
301
97
151
-13
1,656
32
-77
-45

250
92
342

(In billions of KRW)

Cumulative
Total
Pct
holdings

1,092
655
6 -1,804
1,091 1,151
159 1,341
685
807
1,335
442
32
490
586
-82
261
499
1,043 1,293
-173
492
-867
-117
5,249 5,167
-850
158
-692

55
642
697

95,591 6.8
93,868 6.6
95,063 6.7
96,393 6.8
97,199 6.8
97,643 6.8
98,132 6.8
98,090 6.8
98,589 6.9
99,879 6.9
100,480 6.9
100,362 6.9
100,417
101,062

6.8
6.8