At a glance
FLKR charges 0.09% a year, below the 0.3% average of the 6 funds most like it (the 3rd cheapest of 7). It has $1.33B in assets, the 7th largest of that group; it paid 2.83% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, semiannual. Over the past year it returned +71.3% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), the best of those 7 funds; over three years it returned +46.2% a year. At its worst it fell 35.2% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 41.0% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 3 months and 34 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 78.3% of the fund, out of 157 in all.
The short version
Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF (FLKR) is a Franklin Templeton index fund that tracks the FTSE South Korea Capped Index of large and midsize South Korean companies. Its 0.09% expense ratio (the annual fee) is well below the 0.59% charged by the much larger iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY). The trade-off is concentration in semiconductor stocks: as of June 30, 2026, SK Hynix (27.4%) and Samsung Electronics (18.0%) were its two largest holdings.
Price history
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FLKR +71.3% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLKR official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +91.79% | — | +4.59% | — | +5.75% |
| FTSE South Korea Index-NR index, same period | — | +95.39% | — | +4.17% | — | +5.93% |
| FTSE South Korea Capped Index-NR index, same period | — | +92.31% | — | +4.64% | — | +5.76% |
| FLKR price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +62.6% | +71.3% | +46.2% | +16.3% | — | +11.0% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, FLKR returned +71.3%, 1st of 7 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +16.3%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 35.2% and regained its old high 2.5 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-27.5%); its best was 2025 (+91.8%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 50.1% (Jan 8, 2021 to Sep 30, 2022), recovered by Oct 20, 2025.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +62.6% | — |
| 2025 | +91.8% | +91.79% |
| 2024 | -18.8% | -19.46% |
| 2023 | +19.2% | +20.99% |
| 2022 | -27.5% | -28.31% |
| 2021 | -7.6% | -6.59% |
| 2020 | +42.6% | +42.82% |
| 2019 | +8.8% | +8.05% |
| 2018 | -21.3% | -20.34% |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Lost 35.2% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 35.2%, back to its old high 2.5 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 37.8% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 41%, back to its old high 34.4 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.3000 | |
| 2025 | $1.2400 | 0.0% |
| 2024 | $1.2400 | +138.5% |
| 2023 | $0.5200 | -14.8% |
| 2022 | $0.6100 | +5.2% |
| 2021 | $0.5800 | +93.3% |
| 2020 | $0.3000 | -33.3% |
| 2019 | $0.4500 | +18.3% |
| 2018 | $0.3805 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 157 securities; the ten largest made up 78.29% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| SK HYNIX INC | 27.39% | |
| SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD | 18.00% | |
| UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - BUREAU OF THE PUBLIC DEBT Bonds and notes | 15.04% | |
| SK SQUARE CO LTD | 4.30% | |
| SAMSUNG ELECTRO MECHANICS | 4.17% | |
| HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY | 2.46% | |
| KB FINANCIAL GROUP INC | 2.01% | |
| SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD Preferred stock | 1.99% | |
| SHINHAN FINANCIAL GROUP COMPANY LTD | 1.50% | |
| DOOSAN ENERBILITY CO LTD | 1.42% | |
| SAMSUNG C&T CORP | 1.37% | |
| KIA CORP | 1.20% | |
| HANWHA AEROSPACE CO LTD | 1.19% | |
| SAMSUNG LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY LTD | 1.18% | |
| SK INC | 1.12% |
By country
South Korea 99.77%United States 15.04%By asset type
Stocks 97%Bonds and notes 15.04%Preferred stock 2.77%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors added a net $540.1M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +36.85%, +30.92%, -2.01%.
How it works
FLKR tracks the FTSE South Korea Capped Index, which FTSE Russell builds and maintains. The index covers large and mid-sized South Korean companies. It is weighted by free-float market value, meaning a company counts for more when the shares available to the public are worth more. FTSE Russell decides which companies qualify using tests such as where a company is incorporated, listed and headquartered. As of May 31, 2026, the index held 156 stocks, ranging in size from $613 million to $1.39 trillion.
Each quarter, caps limit any single company to 25% of the index. They also keep all companies above 5% from adding up to more than 50%. Between those quarterly resets, weights can drift. SK Hynix was 27.4% of the fund on June 30, 2026, and Samsung Electronics was another 18.0%. The index was concentrated in semiconductors as of May 31, 2026, so the fund is too.
The fund can hold every stock in the index or a representative sample. It may use stock index futures and total return swaps to keep spare cash invested and track the index more closely. Its currency forwards serve narrow purposes, such as settling local trades or handling distributions, so moves in the Korean won against the dollar mostly pass through to shareholders. Portfolio turnover was 30%.
What it really costs
- FLKR charges 0.09% a year, versus an average of 0.3% for the similar funds below (3rd of 7, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $9 in the first year and $116 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLKR | $9 | $29 | $51 | $116 |
In a retirement portfolio
It is a single-country fund with nearly half its assets in two chipmakers, and it has swung sharply in both directions.
FLKR may add low-cost exposure to South Korea at 0.09% a year. In the SEC's standard example, that comes to $116 on $10,000 over 10 years. The ride has been rough. The fund launched in November 2017, so it has no record from 2008. Based on prices through October 27, 2026, it fell 35.2% in the 2020 COVID crash and recovered by June 8, 2020. In 2022 it dropped 41% between January and September and took about 34 months to get back, in August 2025. Its deepest fall, 50.1% from January 2021 to September 2022, took 36.7 months to recover. Its worst calendar year was 2022, at -28.31%. Anyone forced to sell during a stretch like that would lock in losses. The trailing yield was 2.83% as of October 27, 2026, paid twice a year. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Cost-conscious investors seeking South Korean stocks: the 0.09% expense ratio (annual fee) compares with 0.59% for EWY and a 0.3% peer average.
- Investors wanting a deliberate, single-country bet on Korean semiconductors, led by SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics as of June 30, 2026.
- Investors who want some income from a stock fund: it pays distributions twice a year, and its yield was 2.83% as of October 27, 2026.
Look elsewhere if
- Anyone wanting diversification: SK Hynix alone made up 27.4% of the fund as of June 30, 2026, and the index leans heavily on semiconductors.
- Retirees who need steady account values: the fund fell 50.1% from January 2021 to September 2022 and took until October 2025 to recover.
- Investors drawn mainly by the 71.3% one-year gain through October 27, 2026: the fund also lost 28.31% in 2022 and 19.46% in 2024.
Close alternatives
Matched by closest holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports (no similar fund shares 20% or more of its holdings).
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLKR this fund | — | 0.09% | $1.33B | +71.3% | +46.2% |
| EWY iShares MSCI South Korea ETF | 81% | 0.59% | $27.72B | +59.9% | +41.1% |
| AAXJ iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex-Japan ETF | 22% | 0.72% | $3.72B | +15.1% | +23.3% |
| VPL Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF | 19% | 0.07% | $13.10B | +22.2% | +22.6% |
| IEMG iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | 18% | 0.09% | $160.90B | +11.7% | +19.8% |
| EEMV iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Min Vol Facto… | 14% | 0.26% | $3.66B | +12.4% | +15.5% |
| SCHF Schwab International Equity ETF | 8% | 0.06% | $69.68B | +17.7% | +20.4% |
Questions investors ask
What's the difference between FLKR and EWY?
The main differences are cost, size and index. FLKR charges 0.09% a year and tracks the FTSE South Korea Capped Index. iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY) charges 0.59% and follows an MSCI index. Their holdings overlap by about 81%. EWY is much larger, with $27.7 billion in net assets as of August 31, 2026, versus $1.33 billion for FLKR as of June 30, 2026. One-year returns were close: 71.3% for FLKR through October 27, 2026, and 70.8% for EWY through October 29, 2026.
Does FLKR pay dividends?
Yes. FLKR pays distributions twice a year, from the dividends its South Korean companies pay. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $1.47 per share, a trailing yield of 2.83%. Payments can rise or fall with company profits, dividend policies and the exchange rate between the Korean won and the US dollar, so the amount isn't fixed from one payment to the next.
Why does FLKR have so much SK Hynix and Samsung?
Because the index weights companies by market value, and these are South Korea's largest companies. As of June 30, 2026, SK Hynix was 27.4% of the fund and Samsung Electronics 18.0%, with Samsung's preferred shares adding about 2.0%. The index caps any one company at 25% and keeps all companies above 5% under 50% combined, but it only resets those limits quarterly. Weights can drift past the caps in between.
How has FLKR performed over the long term?
Results have been very uneven. As of December 31, 2025, FLKR returned 91.79% over one year, but only 4.59% a year over five years and 5.75% a year since its November 2017 launch. It lost 20.34% in 2018, 28.31% in 2022 and 19.46% in 2024, then gained 91.79% in 2025. Through October 27, 2026, it was up 62.6% for the year to date. Past returns don't predict future ones.
Is FLKR good for a retirement portfolio?
It can fill a small, higher-risk role, but it isn't built to anchor a portfolio. FLKR holds almost entirely South Korean stocks, and nearly half its assets sat in two chipmakers on June 30, 2026. Its deepest drop was 50.1%, and recovering took 36.7 months, until October 2025. The low 0.09% expense ratio and semiannual income are pluses. It may suit investors who keep it to a modest slice of a diversified mix.