Foreign direct investment pledges to South Korea jumped 54.2 percent on-year in the first six months of this year to reach a record high for any first-half period, data showed.

The country received $17.09 billion of FDI commitments in the January-June period, compared with $11.09 billion logged a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

This year’s figure is the largest ever for any January-June period, with the previous record being $13.14 billion in 2021.

For the second quarter alone, FDI also reached an all-time high for any second quarter at $11.46 billion, the data showed.

The amount of investment that actually arrived in South Korea in the first half grew 6 percent on-year to $7.75 billion, according to the ministry. (Yonhap)