Funds that invest in foreign stocks received net inflows in February for the first time in nearly six years as investors turned to lucrative offshore markets, data showed Friday.

Foreign equity funds drew a net 22.4 billion won (US$20.3 million) last month, the first monthly net positive since June 2009, according to the Korea Financial Investment Association (KFIA).

Foreign stocks peaked in popularity in 2007, when Korean investors poured money into BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) for higher returns, but they lost their appeal after being hit hard by the global financial crisis in 2008.

Last year, investors pulled out 3.7 trillion won from foreign stock funds despite their relatively stable yield rates.

The sentiment is changing as advanced stock markets, including those in the U.S., Japan and Europe, hit fresh record highs this year, while the Korean equity market is showing a subpar performance compared to its global peers.

Chinese equity funds saw a net outflow of 2.3 trillion won last year and 120.5 billion won in January, but they received 48.4 billion in new net cash last month on hopes of stimulus measures and a stock exchange linkage between Hong Kong and Shanghai that launched in November.

European stock funds also had 14.7 billion won of new funds ahead of the European Central Bank's additional quantitative easing in late February. (Yonhap)