How to invest in South Korea using ETFs

How do I invest in South Korean stocks?

The easiest way to invest in the whole South Korean stock market is to invest in a broad market index. This can be done at low cost by using ETFs.

On the South Korean stock market you'll find 3 indices which are tracked by ETFs.

Alternatively, you can invest in indices on the Asia-Pacific region and Emerging Markets.

0.09% p.a. - 0.74% p.a.
annual total expense ratio (TER) of South Korea ETFs
on the South Korean stock market, which are tracked by ETFs
on the South Korean stock market
 
The best indices for South Korea ETFs

Performance of South Korean stocks (MSCI Korea 20/35)

1 month: 1.40%
1 year: 10.85%
3 years: -17.83%
5 years: 22.65%
 

Indices in comparison

The best indices for ETFs on South Korea

For an investment in the South Korean stock market, there are 3 indices available which are tracked by 6 ETFs. On the FTSE Korea 30/18 Capped index there is 1 ETF. On the MSCI Korea 20/35 index there are 4 ETFs. On the MSCI Korea 20/35 Custom index there is 1 ETF. The total expense ratio (TER) of ETFs on these indices is between 0.09% p.a. and 0.74% p.a..

Index Investment focus Number of ETFs Number of constituents Short description

FTSE Korea 30/18 Capped

South Korea 1 ETF 161
(31.03.22)
The FTSE Korea 30/18 Capped index tracks the largest stocks from South Korea. The largest company in the index is limited to a maximum of 30 percent of the index capitalization, all other index components to a maximum of 18 percent.
Index factsheet

MSCI Korea 20/35

South Korea 4 ETFs 111
(30.11.22)
The MSCI Korea 20/35 index tracks large and mid cap Korean stocks. The weight of the largest constituent is constrained to 35% and the weights of all other constituents are constrained to a maximum of 20%.
Index factsheet

MSCI Korea 20/35 Custom

South Korea 1 ETF 111
(30.11.22)
The MSCI Korea 20/35 Custom index tracks large and mid cap Korean stocks. The weight of the largest constituent is constrained to 35% and the weights of all other constituents are constrained to a maximum of 20%. A buffer of 10% is applied on these limits at each index rebalancing.
Index factsheet
ETF
ISIN
  Fund size
in m EUR
TER
in %
Use of profits Fund domicile Replication method
Franklin FTSE Korea UCITS ETFIE00BHZRR030 427 0.09% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
iShares MSCI Korea UCITS ETF (Dist)IE00B0M63391 342 0.74% p.a. Distributing Ireland Full replication
iShares MSCI Korea UCITS ETF (Acc)IE00B5W4TY14 188 0.65% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
Amundi MSCI Korea UCITS ETF AccLU1900066975 144 0.45% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
HSBC MSCI Korea Capped UCITS ETF USDIE00B3Z0X395 92 0.50% p.a. Distributing Ireland Full replication
Xtrackers MSCI Korea UCITS ETF 1CLU0292100046 51 0.45% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Full replication
 
Index   1 month
in %
3 months
in %
6 months
in %
1 year
in %
3 years
in %
MSCI Korea 20/35 7.07% 5.23% 5.39% 11.04% -15.82%
MSCI Korea 20/35 Custom 7.15% 5.17% 5.39% 11.07% -15.42%
FTSE Korea 30/18 Capped 6.65% 5.56% 6.72% 12.46% -12.80%
Index   2024
in %
2023
in %
2022
in %
2021
in %
2020
in %
MSCI Korea 20/35 Custom -1.15% 17.84% -24.50% -0.85% 31.07%
FTSE Korea 30/18 Capped -1.08% 18.89% -24.31% 1.04% 32.81%
MSCI Korea 20/35 -0.45% 15.59% -24.03% -0.94% 30.84%

Source: justETF.com; As of 29.02.24; Calculations in EUR based on the largest ETF of the respective index.

 

The best South Korea ETFs
by 1 year return

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The cheapest South Korea ETFs
by total expense ratio (TER)

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Alternative investment opportunities

Asia-Pacific indices with a large share of South Korea

Besides South Korea ETFs, you may consider ETFs on the Asia-Pacific region. In total, you can invest in 5 Asia-Pacific indices, which are tracked by 13 ETFs. The total expense ratio (TER) of ETFs on Asia-Pacific is between 0.12% p.a. and 0.74% p.a..

 
Index Investment focus Number of ETFs Number of constituents Short description
FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan Asia Pacific
South Korea: 28.19%
(30/11/2022)
2 ETFs 399
(31.08.23)
The FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan index tracks large and mid cap stocks from developed countries in the Asia Pacific region excluding Japan.
Index factsheet
MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan Asia Pacific
South Korea: 11.25%
(30/11/2022)
1 ETF 1,312
(29.02.24)
The MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan index tracks equity markets of the emerging and developed countries of the Asia and Pacific region, excluding Japan.
Index factsheet
MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Asia Pacific
South Korea: 13.61%
(30/11/2022)
2 ETFs 1,248
(29.02.24)
The MSCI AC Asia ex Japan index tracks equity markets of the emerging and developed countries of the Asia region, excluding Japan.
Index factsheet
MSCI AC Far East ex Japan Asia Pacific
South Korea: 16.39%
(30/11/2022)
3 ETFs 1,117
(29.02.24)
The MSCI AC Far East ex Japan index tracks equity markets of the emerging and developed countries of the East Asian region, excluding Japan.
Index factsheet
MSCI Emerging Markets Asia Asia Pacific
South Korea: 15.31%
(30/11/2022)
5 ETFs 1,193
(29.02.24)
The MSCI Emerging Markets Asia index tracks large and mid cap companies from Asian emerging markets.
Index factsheet
ETF
ISIN
  Fund size
in m EUR
TER
in %
Use of profits Fund domicile Replication method
iShares MSCI EM Asia UCITS ETF (Acc)IE00B5L8K969 2,126 0.20% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
Vanguard FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan UCITS ETF DistributingIE00B9F5YL18 946 0.15% p.a. Distributing Ireland Full replication
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets Asia UCITS ETF EUR (C)LU1681044480 828 0.20% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
SPDR MSCI EM Asia UCITS ETFIE00B466KX20 783 0.55% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
iShares MSCI AC Far East ex-Japan UCITS ETFIE00B0M63730 729 0.74% p.a. Distributing Ireland Full replication
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets Asia UCITS ETF USDLU1681044563 570 0.20% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
Amundi MSCI AC Asia Pacific Ex Japan UCITS ETF AccLU1900068328 332 0.60% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
Vanguard FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan UCITS ETF (USD) AccumulatingIE00BK5BQZ41 289 0.15% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
Amundi MSCI AC Asia Ex Japan UCITS ETF AccLU1900068161 223 0.50% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
UBS ETF (IE) MSCI AC Asia Ex Japan SF UCITS ETF (USD) A-accIE00B7WK2W23 182 0.23% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Swap-based
Amundi MSCI Emerging Asia II UCITS ETF AccLU1781541849 154 0.12% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
HSBC MSCI AC Far East ex Japan UCITS ETF USDIE00BBQ2W338 129 0.45% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Optimized sampling
iShares MSCI AC Far East ex-Japan UCITS ETF USD (Acc)IE00BKPX3K41 12 0.74% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
 
Index   1 month
in %
3 months
in %
6 months
in %
1 year
in %
3 years
in %
MSCI AC Far East ex Japan 3.82% 2.67% -0.96% -3.43% -24.10%
MSCI AC Asia ex Japan 3.45% 5.06% 2.86% 2.31% -15.07%
MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan 2.95% 5.86% 4.12% 2.55% -10.37%
FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan 2.50% 6.58% 5.79% 3.23% 3.16%
MSCI Emerging Markets Asia 3.99% 5.60% 3.57% 4.64% -14.02%
Index   2024
in %
2023
in %
2022
in %
2021
in %
2020
in %
FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan -1.31% 7.20% -7.26% 9.46% 8.65%
MSCI AC Far East ex Japan 0.46% -1.28% -15.89% -2.74% 14.53%
MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan 1.40% 2.96% -12.62% 3.78% 11.51%
MSCI AC Asia ex Japan 1.81% 1.92% -14.78% 1.91% 13.80%
MSCI Emerging Markets Asia 2.36% 3.84% -15.09% 1.48% 16.80%

Source: justETF.com; As of 29.02.24; Calculations in EUR based on the largest ETF of the respective index.

 

Emerging markets indices with a large share of South Korea

Besides South Korea ETFs you may consider emerging markets ETFs. In total, you can invest in 1 emerging markets index, which is tracked by 19 ETFs. The total expense ratio (TER) of ETFs on emerging markets is between 0.14% p.a. and 0.66% p.a..

 
Index Investment focus Number of ETFs Number of constituents Short description
MSCI Emerging Markets Emerging Markets
South Korea: 11.95%
(30/11/2022)
19 ETFs 1,440
(29.02.24)
The MSCI Emerging Markets index tracks stocks from emerging markets worldwide.
Index factsheet
ETF
ISIN
  Fund size
in m EUR
TER
in %
Use of profits Fund domicile Replication method
Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF 1CIE00BTJRMP35 4,645 0.18% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Optimized sampling
iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Dist)IE00B0M63177 4,072 0.18% p.a. Distributing Ireland Optimized sampling
Amundi Index MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF DR (C)LU1437017350 2,782 0.20% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Full replication
iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Acc)IE00B4L5YC18 2,549 0.18% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Optimized sampling
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF EUR (C)LU1681045370 2,169 0.20% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
HSBC MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USDIE00B5SSQT16 1,842 0.15% p.a. Distributing Ireland Optimized sampling
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets II UCITS ETF DistLU2573966905 1,451 0.14% p.a. Distributing Luxembourg Unfunded swap
UBS ETF (LU) MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF (USD) A-disLU0480132876 1,424 0.18% p.a. Distributing Luxembourg Optimized sampling
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USDLU1681045453 993 0.20% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets III UCITS ETF EUR AccFR0010429068 819 0.55% p.a. Accumulating France Unfunded swap
Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets Swap UCITS ETF 1CLU0292107645 606 0.49% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
Amundi Index MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF DR EUR (D)LU1737652583 436 0.20% p.a. Distributing Luxembourg Full replication
SPDR MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETFIE00B469F816 420 0.18% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
Invesco MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETFIE00B3DWVS88 335 0.19% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Unfunded swap
Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF 1DIE000GWA2J58 185 0.18% p.a. Distributing Ireland Full replication
HSBC MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USD (Acc)IE000KCS7J59 182 0.15% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Optimized sampling
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets III UCITS ETF USD AccFR0010435297 97 0.55% p.a. Accumulating France Unfunded swap
Deka MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF DE000ETFL342 80 0.66% p.a. Accumulating Germany Unfunded swap
Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets Swap UCITS ETF 1DLU2675291913 54 0.18% p.a. Distributing Luxembourg Unfunded swap
 
Index   1 month
in %
3 months
in %
6 months
in %
1 year
in %
3 years
in %
MSCI Emerging Markets 3.23% 5.68% 3.83% 6.38% -8.42%
Index   2024
in %
2023
in %
2022
in %
2021
in %
2020
in %
MSCI Emerging Markets 1.93% 5.75% -15.28% 5.39% 8.01%

Source: justETF.com; As of 29.02.24; Calculations in EUR based on the largest ETF of the respective index.