Nearly half of South Korea’s top 500 companies by sales are undecided about their investment plans for next year, highlighting economic uncertainties, a Mono Research survey revealed on Monday. Commissioned by the Federation of Korean Industries, the survey found that 49.7% of the companies are yet to decide their 2024 investment strategies. Additionally, 5.3% have no plans to invest next year. Of those with confirmed plans, 61% intend to maintain their investment level similar to 2023, while 28.8% aim to increase spending. Factors influencing the uncertainty or plans to reduce investment include economic instability, rising raw material costs, and financing challenges. High interest rates were identified as the primary concern for 2024 investments, followed by inflation, the weakening local currency, and a global economic slowdown.