South Korea's overseas direct investment expanded 21.6% in the first six months of the year from a year earlier on a sharp rise in purchases of real estate overseas, government data showed Thursday. 
The country's overseas direct investment came to US$21.75 billion in the January-June period, compared with $17.89 billion tallied in the same period last year, (Yonhap) reported citing the data compiled by the Ministry of Strategy and Finance. 
Investments by financial institutions, including insurers, soared 37% on-year to $6.9 billion, with investments by manufacturers gaining 11.5% on-year to $4.8 billion. 
Real estate businesses made $2.33 billion worth of investments in foreign countries over the six-month period, up 91.2% from a year earlier, while money funneled from the wholesale and retail sector also edged up 0.9% to $1.4 billion. 
Investments by mining companies, however, plunged 49% to $1.89 billion in the first half. 
Asia was South Korea's biggest investment destination with a total of $6.78 billion, closely followed by North America with $6.45 billion and Latin America with $4.03 billion. 
The finance ministry expected the country's overseas investment to decline in the coming months due to a protracted slump in the world economy and spreading protectionism, coupled with rising uncertainties in the face of the US presidential election in November.