Where to Find Korean Financial Statements#
DART (Data Analysis, Retrieval and Transfer System)#
DART (dart.fss.or.kr) is Korea’s official financial disclosure system — equivalent to the US SEC EDGAR. All Korean listed companies must file reports here.
DART now offers an English interface and many large companies file English versions of their reports.
Key Report Types#
| Korean Name | English Name | Frequency |
|---|
| 사업보고서 | Annual Report | Yearly |
| 반기보고서 | Semi-annual Report | Every 6 months |
| 분기보고서 | Quarterly Report | Every 3 months |
| 공정공시 | Fair Disclosure | As needed |
Key Financial Terms#
Income Statement (손익계산서)#
| Korean | English |
|---|
| 매출액 | Revenue / Sales |
| 영업이익 | Operating Income |
| 당기순이익 | Net Income |
| EPS (주당순이익) | Earnings Per Share |
Balance Sheet (재무상태표)#
| Korean | English |
|---|
| 자산총계 | Total Assets |
| 부채총계 | Total Liabilities |
| 자본총계 | Total Equity |
| 부채비율 | Debt-to-Equity Ratio |
Key Ratios#
| Korean | English | What to Look For |
|---|
| PER | P/E Ratio | Lower = cheaper |
| PBR | P/B Ratio | Below 1 = undervalued |
| ROE | Return on Equity | Higher = better |
| DIV | Dividend Yield | Higher = more income |
Using DART API for Automated Data#
DART provides a free API for programmatic access:
import requests
DART_API_KEY = "your_dart_api_key"
def get_company_financials(corp_code):
url = "https://opendart.fss.or.kr/api/fnlttSinglAcntAll.json"
params = {
"crtfc_key": DART_API_KEY,
"corp_code": corp_code,
"bsns_year": "2024",
"reprt_code": "11011", # Annual report
"fs_div": "CFS" # Consolidated financial statements
}
res = requests.get(url, params=params)
return res.json()
Tips for Foreign Investors#
- Use Google Translate on DART pages for Korean text
- Check IR pages — most large Korean companies have English IR sections
- Use financial data services like FnGuide or KRX Market Data for pre-translated data
- Focus on numbers — financial ratios are universal regardless of language