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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.
Performance of South Korean stocks (MSCI Korea 20/35)
1 month: -21.84%
1 year: 55.93%
3 years: 127.86%
5 years: 94.94%
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 (30/01/2026) | 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 (30/01/2026) | 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 (30/01/2026) | 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 GBP | TER in % | Use of profits | Fund domicile | Replication method | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin FTSE Korea UCITS ETF IE00BHZRR030 | 3,010 | 0.09% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication | |
| iShares MSCI Korea UCITS ETF (Dist)IE00B0M63391 | 688 | 0.65% p.a. | Distributing | Ireland | Full replication | |
| Amundi MSCI Korea UCITS ETF AccLU1900066975 | 674 | 0.45% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| iShares MSCI Korea UCITS ETF (Acc)IE00B5W4TY14 | 474 | 0.65% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication | |
| Xtrackers MSCI Korea UCITS ETF 1CLU0292100046 | 343 | 0.45% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
| HSBC MSCI Korea Capped UCITS ETF USDIE00B3Z0X395 | 278 | 0.50% p.a. | Distributing | Ireland | Full replication |
| Index | 1 month in % | 3 months in % | 6 months in % | 1 year in % | 3 years in % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSCI Korea 20/35 | -15.84% | -6.78% | 1.60% | 62.98% | 177.16% | |
| MSCI Korea 20/35 Custom | -15.83% | -6.86% | 1.53% | 63.01% | 176.32% | |
| FTSE Korea 30/18 Capped | -15.49% | -6.57% | 5.03% | 68.88% | 184.64% |
| Index | 2026 in % | 2025 in % | 2024 in % | 2023 in % | 2022 in % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSCI Korea 20/35 | 61.52% | 85.61% | -21.26% | 13.27% | -19.82% | |
| MSCI Korea 20/35 Custom | 62.10% | 85.06% | -21.87% | 15.46% | -20.31% | |
| FTSE Korea 30/18 Capped | 67.71% | 81.45% | -20.95% | 16.48% | -20.08% |
Source: justETF.com; As of 31/10/2026; Calculations in GBP based on the largest ETF of the respective index.
The best South Korea ETFs
by 1 year return
| 1 | Franklin FTSE Korea UCITS ETF | 68.88% |
| 2 | Amundi MSCI Korea UCITS ETF Acc | 63.67% |
| 3 | HSBC MSCI Korea Capped UCITS ETF USD | 63.34% |
The cheapest South Korea ETFs
by total expense ratio (TER)
| 1 | Franklin FTSE Korea UCITS ETF | 0.09% p.a. |
| 2 | Amundi MSCI Korea UCITS ETF Acc | 0.45% p.a. |
| 3 | Xtrackers MSCI Korea UCITS ETF 1C | 0.45% p.a. |
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 11 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 Daily Capped | Asia Pacific South Korea: 45.58% (27/02/2026) | 2 ETFs | 373 (31/07/2026) | The FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan Daily Capped index tracks large and mid cap stocks from developed markets in Asia Pacific (excluding Japan). The largest company in the index is limited to a maximum weight of 30.625 percent, all other index components to a maximum of 17.5 percent. To prevent over-concentration due to market movements between scheduled quarterly rebalances, adherence to the caps is monitored daily, ensuring the largest company does not exceed 35 percent and any other remaining company does not exceed 20 percent. Index factsheet |
| MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan | Asia Pacific South Korea: 17.95% (27/02/2026) | 1 ETF | 1,034 (30/10/2026) | 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 | 986 (30/10/2026) | 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 | 821 (30/10/2026) | 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) | 3 ETFs | 946 (30/10/2026) | The MSCI Emerging Markets Asia index tracks large and mid cap companies from Asian emerging markets. Index factsheet |
| ETF ISIN | Fund size in m GBP | TER in % | Use of profits | Fund domicile | Replication method | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares MSCI EM Asia UCITS ETF (Acc)IE00B5L8K969 | 5,602 | 0.20% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication | |
| Vanguard FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan UCITS ETF DistributingIE00B9F5YL18 | 1,304 | 0.15% p.a. | Distributing | Ireland | Full replication | |
| iShares MSCI AC Far East ex-Japan UCITS ETFIE00B0M63730 | 1,076 | 0.74% p.a. | Distributing | Ireland | Full replication | |
| State Street SPDR MSCI EM Asia UCITS ETF USDIE00B466KX20 | 1,048 | 0.55% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication | |
| UBS MSCI AC Asia ex Japan SF UCITS ETF USD accIE00B7WK2W23 | 729 | 0.23% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Swap-based | |
| Vanguard FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan UCITS ETF (USD) AccumulatingIE00BK5BQZ41 | 708 | 0.15% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication | |
| Amundi MSCI AC Asia Pacific Ex Japan UCITS ETF AccLU1900068328 | 613 | 0.60% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets Asia UCITS ETF USDLU1681044563 | 571 | 0.20% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| Amundi MSCI AC Asia Ex Japan UCITS ETF AccLU1900068161 | 300 | 0.50% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| HSBC MSCI AC Far East ex Japan UCITS ETF USDIE00BBQ2W338 | 296 | 0.45% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication | |
| HSBC MSCI AC Far East ex Japan UCITS ETF USD (Dist)IE00022VXYM7 | 23 | 0.45% p.a. | Distributing | 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 | -7.59% | -4.47% | 1.70% | 12.01% | 64.88% | |
| MSCI AC Asia ex Japan | -8.99% | -5.37% | 1.16% | 12.47% | 70.97% | |
| MSCI Emerging Markets Asia | -9.30% | -5.39% | 1.07% | 12.97% | 73.23% | |
| MSCI AC Far East ex Japan | -10.27% | -5.32% | 1.67% | 17.91% | 87.85% | |
| FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan Daily Capped | -8.46% | -4.05% | 3.72% | 31.74% | 88.92% |
| Index | 2026 in % | 2025 in % | 2024 in % | 2023 in % | 2022 in % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan | 15.42% | 19.80% | 11.54% | 0.89% | -7.77% | |
| MSCI AC Asia ex Japan | 15.95% | 22.91% | 13.51% | 0.06% | -10.16% | |
| MSCI Emerging Markets Asia | 16.51% | 23.20% | 13.63% | 1.75% | -10.37% | |
| MSCI AC Far East ex Japan | 21.60% | 30.20% | 13.27% | -3.25% | -11.22% | |
| FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan Daily Capped | 31.90% | 31.09% | -4.23% | 4.94% | -2.06% |
Source: justETF.com; As of 31/10/2026; Calculations in GBP 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 | 1,165 (30/10/2026) | The MSCI Emerging Markets index tracks stocks from emerging markets worldwide. Index factsheet |
| ETF ISIN | Fund size in m GBP | TER in % | Use of profits | Fund domicile | Replication method | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF 1CIE00BTJRMP35 | 9,406 | 0.18% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Optimized sampling | |
| iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Acc)IE00B4L5YC18 | 7,217 | 0.18% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication | |
| iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Dist)IE00B0M63177 | 6,728 | 0.18% p.a. | Distributing | Ireland | Full replication | |
| Amundi Core MSCI Emerging Markets Swap UCITS ETF DistLU2573966905 | 4,330 | 0.14% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| Amundi Core MSCI Emerging Markets Swap UCITS ETF AccLU2573967036 | 4,162 | 0.14% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| Amundi Core MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF AccLU1437017350 | 3,206 | 0.18% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
| HSBC MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USDIE00B5SSQT16 | 2,826 | 0.15% p.a. | Distributing | Ireland | Full replication | |
| UBS Core MSCI EM UCITS ETF USD disLU0480132876 | 2,123 | 0.15% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Optimized sampling | |
| State Street SPDR MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USDIE00B469F816 | 1,512 | 0.18% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication | |
| HSBC MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USD (Acc)IE000KCS7J59 | 1,286 | 0.15% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication | |
| Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets Swap UCITS ETF USD AccLU1681045453 | 1,080 | 0.20% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| Amundi Core MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF EUR DistLU1737652583 | 868 | 0.18% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
| Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets Swap UCITS ETF 1CLU0292107645 | 668 | 0.49% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF 1DIE000GWA2J58 | 627 | 0.18% p.a. | Distributing | Ireland | Full replication | |
| Invesco MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF AccIE00B3DWVS88 | 345 | 0.09% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Unfunded swap | |
| Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets Swap UCITS ETF 1DLU2675291913 | 184 | 0.18% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| iShares MSCI EM Swap UCITS ETF USD (Acc)IE000S3N6R34 | 178 | 0.14% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Unfunded swap | |
| Amundi Core MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USD DistLU2277591868 | 74 | 0.18% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
| BNP Paribas Easy MSCI Emerging UCITS ETF AccLU3086273813 | 55 | 0.09% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets Swap II UCITS ETF USD AccFR0010435297 | 30 | 0.55% p.a. | Accumulating | France | Unfunded swap |
| Index | 1 month in % | 3 months in % | 6 months in % | 1 year in % | 3 years in % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSCI Emerging Markets | -8.81% | -5.31% | -0.14% | 11.42% | 65.85% |
| Index | 2026 in % | 2025 in % | 2024 in % | 2023 in % | 2022 in % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSCI Emerging Markets | 14.61% | 24.40% | 9.13% | 3.61% | -10.57% |
Source: justETF.com; As of 31/10/2026; Calculations in GBP based on the largest ETF of the respective index.