Seoul, South Korea – The net asset value of investment funds in South Korea showed significant growth in 2023, according to recent data.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Data from the Korea Financial Investment Association, released on Monday, revealed that the net asset value of South Korean investment funds reached 971.4 trillion won (approximately US$737.6 billion) at the end of last year. This represents an increase of 68.1 trillion won from the previous year. The association's press release attributed this growth partly to high interest rates throughout the year, which enhanced the appeal of bond products. Notably, the country's central bank has maintained its policy rate at 3.5 percent since January 2023.
Breaking down the figures, the net assets of bond funds stood at 138.2 trillion won at the end of 2023, marking an 18.5 percent increase, or 21.6 trillion won, from a year earlier. Additionally, the net assets of public funds witnessed a significant surge of 23 percent, reaching 348.3 trillion won over the same
period. This growth in public funds marks a notable recovery from the 9.3 percent year-on-year decline experienced in 2022.
Equity funds also saw substantial growth, with their net assets increasing by 53.9 trillion won, or 9.5 percent, over the year, totaling 623.1 trillion won by the end of 2023.