The 1997 financial crisis in Korea has had a substantial impact on the economy and the society as a whole. Korea's overseas direct investment is no exception. Korea's direct investment abroad, which surged in general from the late 1980s to 1996, has fallen dramatically after the financial crisis. Accordingly, a large number of companies have cancelled or delayed their overseas direct investment plans in the face of a wide range of problems, including liquidity. The financial crisis has prompted the need to reassess Korea's past overall economic development strategy; evaluating the accomplishments achieved through the overseas direct investment by Korean multinationals is now more important than ever.

Since the financial crisis which erupted at the end of 1997, the debates over the effects of overseas direct investment have focused on the soundness of overseas investment rather than its effects on the domestic industry or trade. This paper analyzes the performance of overseas subsidiaries holding outstanding invested amounts of more than $10 million based on the financial statements of overseas subsidiaries in 1997 and 1998, before and after the financial crisis. This study shows the poor business performance of Korea's direct investments abroad. Korean subsidiaries exhibit extreme instability due to capital depletion caused by continuous losses and high debt ratios in 1997 and 1998. Added to this are net losses resulting in profit indexes indicating low earning rates.

Such problems in foreign subsidiaries are identified as aggravation of profitability, instability and high dependency on the parent company. This inferiority results from the deteriorated management practice of entering overseas markets for quantitative expansion without sufficient evaluation of business profitability. However, limiting advance into foreign markets on the basis of low business performance is not only unrealistic but also undesirable. Rather, the role of redirecting direct investment abroad toward more profit-based decision making procedures must be left up to the market participants such as creditors and shareholders. In order for market participants to perform their role, openness and easy access to management details must be guaranteed.

Executive Summary

Ⅰ. Introduction

Ⅱ. Recent Trends in Korea's Overseas Direct Investment

Ⅲ. Evaluation of Korea's Overseas Direct Investment
1. General Review
2. Performance and Financial Soundness of Korea's Overseas Direct Investment

Ⅳ. Future Challenges for Korea's Overseas Direct Investment
1. Streamlined Restructuring
2. Promoting New Sound Investments

Ⅴ. Summary and Policy Implications
1. Summary of Main Problems in Korea's Overseas Direct Investment
2. Policy Implications for Overseas Direct Investment

References