Hong Kong is drawing interest from Korean asset holders seeking investment immigration, as it is being evaluated as a city that offers both an investor-friendly environment and high satisfaction for primary residence.
According to the Hong Kong investment industry, the New CIES (New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme), launched in Mar. 2024, recorded a cumulative 2,850 applications as of Dec. last year. Through this, about HK$85.5 billion (about 15.8 trillion won) in funds is expected to flow into Hong Kong. This is about a 127% increase compared with 1,257 applications received as of the end of Mar. the same year. Although exact applicant statistics by country have not been disclosed, Korean high-net-worth asset holders are also said to be showing considerable interest in New CIES.
New CIES is an investment immigration program introduced by Hong Kong to attract high-net-worth asset holders worldwide. Foreign nationals aged 18 or older (including Chinese nationals holding permanent residency of another country) can apply for residency if they prove a minimum asset holding requirement of HK$30 million (about 5.5 billion won) and additionally invest at least HK$30 million in Hong Kong. Permitted investment targets include stocks, bonds, funds, and real estate. Applicants approved for a visa through this program can reside in Hong Kong with a spouse and dependent children as long as they meet the prescribed investment requirements, and may apply for permanent residency after meeting the requirements for a certain period.
In particular, since Sep. last year the Hong Kong government has eased the residential real estate criteria that can meet New CIES's minimum investment requirement. Previously, the transaction amount for a single residential property had to be at least HK$50 million (about 9.2 billion won) to be recognized, but this was lowered to HK$30 million. At the same time, the recognition cap for real estate investment was raised from the previous HK$10 million (about 1.8 billion won) to HK$15 million (about 2.8 billion won). As a result, demand for investment immigration using real estate—cited as a major investment asset for Korean asset holders—has further activated, observers say.
The biggest reason Korean asset holders are interested in Hong Kong's New CIES is cited as its low-tax system. Hong Kong has no capital gains tax, dividends income tax, or inheritance tax, which have been burdens on Korean asset holders. For corporate tax, 8.25% applies to the first HK$2 million (about 400 million won) of taxable profits, and 16.5% applies to profits above that. For single family offices (SFOs) with an investment amount of at least HK$2 million and total assets exceeding HK$240 million (about 44.2 billion won), corporate tax exemptions are available.
Given Hong Kong's status as a global financial hub for decades, the financial infrastructure to support investments by Korean asset holders settled locally is also abundant. More than 267,000 finance professionals are currently active in Hong Kong, and there are many multilingual specialists across various sectors such as accounting, law, banking, and insurance.
Horst Bente, the grandson of the Adidas founder and founder of ADLEGACY, said, "Hong Kong has always been the gateway to Asia," adding, "Our family also expanded into the Asian market using Hong Kong as a base in the 1960s and 1970s," and noted, "Not only investors but also capital and talent are all gathered in Hong Kong."
Hong Kong is also evaluated as a city with high satisfaction for primary residence, as well as a favorable investment environment, for those considering investment immigration. With a historical background of British rule, Eastern and Western cultures blend naturally. Hong Kong has more than 70 Michelin-starred restaurants, and it offers an environment to enjoy diverse leisure activities such as luxury shopping and yacht sailing on Victoria Harbour. In particular, the recently opened Kai Tak Stadium has prioritized hosting international events over local ones since opening, and has staged major events such as the 2025 MAMA Awards and Blackpink's world tour.
Education conditions important to Koreans are also well established. Hong Kong operates more than 50 international schools offering globally recognized curricula from Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, and more. In addition, five universities within the world's top 100 are located in Hong Kong, and eight universities are listed in the QS World University Rankings. From primary and secondary education to higher education, a high-quality educational environment is in place across the entire life cycle.
In addition, as many global corporations have their headquarters or Asian bases in Hong Kong, there are ample opportunities to gain internships and on-the-job training at global corporations after graduating from university. An official at Invest Hong Kong said, "This environment helps the children of asset holders who have settled in Hong Kong through the investment immigration program acquire specialized knowledge and practical capabilities," adding, "Furthermore, it provides a foundation for managing the family's assets in the future and contributing to long-term family development."