The iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY) is an exchange-traded fund designed to track the performance of leading publicly traded companies in South Korea. The ETF is managed by BlackRock through its iShares platform and trades under the ticker EWY on the NYSE Arca.

Classified as a single-country international equity ETF, the fund provides exposure to large- and mid-cap South Korean companies. Its strategy gives investors access to one of Asia's largest economies, with significant representation in technology, industrials, consumer discretionary, and financial services.

The ETF follows a passive management approach and seeks to replicate the performance of the MSCI Korea 25/50 Index, a benchmark composed of representative South Korean companies while complying with U.S. registered investment company diversification requirements.

Diversification and sector exposure

EWY provides exposure primarily associated with:

• South Korean companies.

• Information technology.

• Semiconductors.

• Financial services.

• Consumer discretionary.

• Industrials.

• Materials.

• Developed Asian markets.

The portfolio includes many of South Korea's largest companies, including semiconductor manufacturers, consumer electronics firms, automobile manufacturers, banks, and industrial businesses.

The ETF's performance reflects the strength of South Korea's economy and its leading corporations, with technology and exports serving as major performance drivers.

Structure and costs

EWY shares trade on the secondary market on the NYSE Arca during regular trading hours. Share creation and redemption occur through authorized participants, a mechanism intended to help align the ETF's market price with its net asset value (NAV).

The fund charges a management fee as outlined in its prospectus and does not apply a performance fee. Dividends received from portfolio holdings may be distributed periodically to shareholders according to the fund's distribution policy.

History and evolution of the ETF

The iShares MSCI South Korea ETF was launched in 2000 to provide international investors with exchange-traded access to South Korea's equity market.

Since inception, the fund has tracked South Korea's transformation into one of the world's leading export-driven economies, supported by advancements in technology, electronics, semiconductors, and automotive manufacturing.

In recent years, growing demand for artificial intelligence, advanced semiconductor chips, consumer electronics, and industrial innovation has continued to shape the performance of the companies represented in the ETF's portfolio.

Additional Information

iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (United States) is an exchange-traded fund (ETF), with assets under management totaling $27.36 billion.

Over the past 12 months, iShares MSCI South Korea ETF recorded a return of 156.06%, with its price trading between $71.92 and $219.20 during the same period.

The ETF is traded under the ticker EWY.