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. - 0.65% 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: 28.79%
1 year: 216.15%
3 years: 195.96%
5 years: 117.66%
 

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 0.65% p.a..

Index Investment focus Number of ETFs Number of constituents Short description

FTSE Korea 30/18 Capped

South Korea 1 ETF 152
(30.01.26)
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 81
(30.01.26)
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 81
(30.01.26)
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 ETF IE00BHZRR030 3,975 0.09% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
iShares MSCI Korea UCITS ETF (Dist)IE00B0M63391 1,023 0.65% p.a. Distributing Ireland Full replication
Amundi MSCI Korea UCITS ETF AccLU1900066975 784 0.45% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
iShares MSCI Korea UCITS ETF (Acc)IE00B5W4TY14 699 0.65% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
HSBC MSCI Korea Capped UCITS ETF USDIE00B3Z0X395 436 0.50% p.a. Distributing Ireland Full replication
Xtrackers MSCI Korea UCITS ETF 1CLU0292100046 341 0.45% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Full replication
 
Index   1 month
in %
3 months
in %
6 months
in %
1 year
in %
3 years
in %
FTSE Korea 30/18 Capped 26.97% 27.60% 65.34% 175.27% 160.36%
MSCI Korea 20/35 27.22% 26.79% 64.92% 181.20% 158.93%
MSCI Korea 20/35 Custom 27.38% 26.92% 65.08% 181.34% 158.63%
Index   2026
in %
2025
in %
2024
in %
2023
in %
2022
in %
MSCI Korea 20/35 59.95% 76.27% -17.48% 15.59% -24.03%
MSCI Korea 20/35 Custom 60.64% 75.85% -18.11% 17.84% -24.50%
FTSE Korea 30/18 Capped 60.70% 72.46% -17.16% 18.89% -24.31%

Source: justETF.com; As of 30.04.26; 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 12 ETFs. The total expense ratio (TER) of ETFs on Asia-Pacific is between 0.15% 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: 45.58%
(27/02/2026)
2 ETFs 370
(30.01.26)
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: 17.95%
(27/02/2026)
1 ETF 1,073
(30.04.26)
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: 20.63%
(27/02/2026)
2 ETFs 1,022
(30.04.26)
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: 24.17%
(27/02/2026)
3 ETFs 858
(30.04.26)
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: 22.40%
(27/02/2026)
4 ETFs 979
(30.04.26)
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 6,839 0.20% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
Vanguard FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan UCITS ETF DistributingIE00B9F5YL18 1,810 0.15% p.a. Distributing Ireland Full replication
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets Asia UCITS ETF EUR (C)LU1681044480 1,688 0.20% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
iShares MSCI AC Far East ex-Japan UCITS ETFIE00B0M63730 1,550 0.74% p.a. Distributing Ireland Full replication
State Street SPDR MSCI EM Asia UCITS ETF USDIE00B466KX20 1,442 0.55% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets Asia UCITS ETF USDLU1681044563 916 0.20% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
UBS MSCI AC Asia ex Japan SF UCITS ETF USD accIE00B7WK2W23 895 0.23% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Swap-based
Vanguard FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan UCITS ETF (USD) AccumulatingIE00BK5BQZ41 819 0.15% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
Amundi MSCI AC Asia Pacific Ex Japan UCITS ETF AccLU1900068328 785 0.60% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
Amundi MSCI AC Asia Ex Japan UCITS ETF AccLU1900068161 413 0.50% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
HSBC MSCI AC Far East ex Japan UCITS ETF USDIE00BBQ2W338 393 0.45% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
iShares MSCI AC Far East ex-Japan UCITS ETF USD (Acc)IE00BKPX3K41 99 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 Asia Pacific ex Japan 10.81% 7.26% 11.55% 39.24% 58.69%
MSCI AC Asia ex Japan 12.24% 8.14% 12.29% 43.84% 65.00%
MSCI Emerging Markets Asia 13.17% 8.81% 12.78% 45.73% 69.26%
MSCI AC Far East ex Japan 13.02% 10.19% 17.09% 58.99% 75.01%
FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan 13.84% 13.57% 29.55% 66.29% 71.70%
Index   2026
in %
2025
in %
2024
in %
2023
in %
2022
in %
MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan 14.19% 13.84% 16.92% 2.96% -12.62%
MSCI AC Asia ex Japan 15.33% 16.79% 18.97% 2.12% -14.88%
MSCI Emerging Markets Asia 15.99% 17.07% 19.10% 3.84% -15.09%
MSCI AC Far East ex Japan 20.35% 23.73% 18.71% -1.28% -15.89%
FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan 27.95% 24.57% 0.35% 7.11% -7.22%

Source: justETF.com; As of 30.04.26; 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 20 ETFs. The total expense ratio (TER) of ETFs on emerging markets is between 0.09% p.a. and 0.55% p.a..

 
Index Investment focus Number of ETFs Number of constituents Short description
MSCI Emerging Markets Emerging Markets
South Korea: 18.08%
(27/02/2026)
20 ETFs 1,204
(30.04.26)
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 11,210 0.18% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Optimized sampling
iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Dist)IE00B0M63177 8,637 0.18% p.a. Distributing Ireland Full replication
iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Acc)IE00B4L5YC18 8,062 0.18% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
UBS Core MSCI EM UCITS ETF USD accLU0950674175 6,623 0.15% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Optimized sampling
Amundi Core MSCI Emerging Markets Swap UCITS ETF DistLU2573966905 4,908 0.14% p.a. Distributing Luxembourg Unfunded swap
Amundi Core MSCI Emerging Markets Swap UCITS ETF AccLU2573967036 4,698 0.14% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets Swap UCITS ETF EUR AccLU1681045370 4,165 0.20% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
Amundi Core MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF AccLU1437017350 4,078 0.18% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Full replication
HSBC MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USDIE00B5SSQT16 3,580 0.15% p.a. Distributing Ireland Full replication
UBS Core MSCI EM UCITS ETF USD disLU0480132876 2,528 0.15% p.a. Distributing Luxembourg Optimized sampling
State Street SPDR MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USDIE00B469F816 1,750 0.18% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets Swap UCITS ETF USD AccLU1681045453 1,452 0.20% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
Amundi Core MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF EUR DistLU1737652583 1,073 0.18% p.a. Distributing Luxembourg Full replication
HSBC MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USD (Acc)IE000KCS7J59 1,065 0.15% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets Swap II UCITS ETF EUR AccFR0010429068 995 0.55% p.a. Accumulating France Unfunded swap
Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets Swap UCITS ETF 1CLU0292107645 855 0.49% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
Invesco MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF AccIE00B3DWVS88 327 0.09% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Unfunded swap
UBS MSCI EM SF UCITS ETF USD accIE00B3Z3FS74 178 0.14% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Swap-based
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets Swap II UCITS ETF USD AccFR0010435297 142 0.55% p.a. Accumulating France Unfunded swap
iShares MSCI EM Swap UCITS ETF USD (Acc)IE000S3N6R34 132 0.14% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Unfunded swap
 
Index   1 month
in %
3 months
in %
6 months
in %
1 year
in %
3 years
in %
MSCI Emerging Markets 11.38% 7.09% 12.71% 42.68% 64.69%
Index   2026
in %
2025
in %
2024
in %
2023
in %
2022
in %
MSCI Emerging Markets 15.47% 18.22% 14.36% 5.75% -15.28%

Source: justETF.com; As of 30.04.26; Calculations in EUR based on the largest ETF of the respective index.