SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) — Foreign currency deposits in South Korea declined in September on increased overseas investments by pension funds and corporate payments for trade settlements, central bank data showed Wednesday.
Outstanding foreign currency-denominated deposits held by residents came to US$107.09 billion as of end-September, down $550 million from a month earlier, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).
Residents include South Korean citizens, foreigners who have lived in the country for more than six months, and foreign companies. The data excludes interbank deposits.
An official checks U.S. dollar notes at a bank branch of Hana Bank in central Seoul in this July 3, 2025, file photo. (Yonhap)
Corporate foreign currency deposits fell $700 million on-month to $92.26 billion, while individual holdings edged up by $150 million to $14.83 billion.
By currency, U.S. dollar-denominated deposits dropped $240 million to $90.72 billion, and Japanese yen deposits declined $150 million to $8.89 billion. Euro deposits slipped $120 million to $5.01 billion.
But Chinese yuan deposits grew $60 million to $1.19 billion.
“Dollar-denominated deposits declined mainly due to a decrease in investors’ margin deposits at securities firms, overseas investments by pension funds and corporate payments for trade settlements,” a BOK official said.
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