Direct overseas stock investment by Koreans surged sharply last year as investors sought higher returns from abroad with the local stock market in a protracted lull, data showed Thursday.
  

The amount of direct investments in foreign stocks stood at 8.84 trillion won ($8.14 billion) in 2014, up 49 percent from a year ago and more than double that of 2012, according to data compiled by the Korea Securities Depositary Corp.
  

Koreans bought $5.1 billion worth of U.S. stocks last year, a 43.6 percent on-year surge, accounting for the largest portion of foreign stock investment. Investment in Hong Kong stocks jumped 67.9 percent in the period.
  

The amount in Chinese stocks sank 63.6 percent to $4 million as retail investors preferred indirect vehicles offered by brokerage houses after a Shanghai-Hong Kong stock connect program was launched in November.
  

Experts say Korean investors were less attracted to local equities as stock markets in the United States, China and Japan have surged last year.
  

"As the South Korean stock market alone remained dull amid stock rallies in major economies, more investors are setting their eyes on overseas markets," a KSDC official said. (Yonhap)