In January, foreign investors shifted their behavior in the South Korean stock market by buying KOSPI stocks but simultaneously selling off KOSDAQ stocks. According to data released by the Financial Supervisory Service, foreign investors recorded a net sell of 98 billion won in domestic listed stocks over the month. This marks a reversal from December, where they net purchased 1.524 trillion won. Specifically, foreign investors bought KOSPI stocks worth 361 billion won but sold KOSDAQ stocks amounting to 459 billion won.

By the end of January, the value of stocks held by foreign investors totaled approximately 1,701.4 trillion won, representing 32% of the overall market capitalization. This reflects an increase from 30.8% the previous month and is likely influenced by the recent rise in stock prices. When segmented by country, the majority of investments came from the United States, accounting for approximately 698.5 trillion won, or 41%. Europe followed with 537.8 trillion won, predominantly led by the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, and Ireland.

In addition to stock market changes, foreign investors continued to show interest in the bond market, achieving a net investment in listed bonds for the third consecutive month. In January, they net purchased 7.071 trillion won worth of listed bonds while receiving 3.514 trillion won in maturing repayments, resulting in a total net investment of 3.557 trillion won. At the end of January, the foreign ownership of listed bonds stood at 330.5 trillion won, increasing by 19 billion won compared to the previous month, which constitutes 11.9% of the total outstanding balance of listed bonds.