Foreign ownership of South Korean land increased one-point-three percent in the first half of this year from six months earlier.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Friday, foreigners owned 256-point-seven square kilometers of land in South Korea as of the end of June, up three-point-four square kilometers from the end of December last year.

This accounts for zero-point-26 percent of South Korea's total land area. 

The value of land owned by foreigners increased zero-point-six percent to 31-point-69 trillion won over the cited period. 

U.S. nationals accounted for the largest portion in terms of ownership, owning 53-point-three percent of all land owned by foreigners.

Chinese citizens came in second with seven-point-nine percent, followed by Europeans with seven-point-one percent and Japanese nationals with six-point-five percent.  

By region, Gyeonggi Province took up 18-point-one percent of all foreign-owned land.