Seoul, Oct 11 (IANS) South Korea’s central bank posted nearly 17 trillion won ($12.5 billion) in returns from foreign assets in 2025, helped by a weaker won and a rally in stock markets, data from the bank showed on Sunday.
The Bank of Korea (BOK) recorded 16.9 trillion won in returns on foreign assets last year, up 32 percent from a year earlier, according to data submitted to a lawmaker from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), reports Yonhap news agency.
“The won’s weakness against the dollar and a rally in stock markets drove up net income linked to foreign assets,” the BOK said in its 2025 annual report, released in March.
Returns on foreign assets rose from around 8 trillion won annually in 2016-18 to 13.8 trillion won in 2021, before plunging to 3.9 trillion won in 2022.
Won-denominated returns from securities holdings, interest on bank deposits, dividends and stock sales rebounded to 4.9 trillion won in 2023, and jumped to 12.8 trillion won in 2024.
Meanwhile, Seoul shares closed lower during the last trading session last week to extend their losses for a third consecutive session, as elevated oil prices stoked inflation worries. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
After opening 0.07 percent higher, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) turned lower to close down 177.97 points, or 2.62 percent, at 6,625.93.
This comes as the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.66 percent overnight, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite declined 0.22 percent.
Institutions and foreigners sold a net 1.67 trillion won (US$1.24 billion) and 1.99 trillion won worth of stocks, respectively, while individuals bought a net 2.9 billion won.
Investors seemed wary as higher oil prices are adding to inflationary pressures, and the U.S. Federal Reserve has signalled it may need to raise rates this year to tame inflation.
—IANS
na/
