Seoul, Feb 26 (IANS): South Korea's overseas direct investment fell for the first time in three years as people refrained from investing into overseas mining projects amid global uncertainties.

Reported direct investment overseas declined 14.3 percent from a year earlier to $39.01 billion in 2012 after rising 32.5 percent in 2011 and 11.7 percent in 2010, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance said Tuesday.

Investment into overseas mining development projects tumbled 51.7 percent last year after doubling in the prior year due to global uncertainties such as the eurozone fiscal crisis. Investment growth in the manufacturing sector slowed to 4.2 percent in 2012 from 10.6 percent a year before, reported Xinhua.

By region, the direct investment into North American countries sank 57.6 percent last year, while those for Europe and the Middle East increased 19.8 percent and 135.6 percent respectively.

The US was the largest destination for overseas investment with $6.9 billion invested last year. It was followed by China with $6.48 billion, Australia with $4.41 billion and the Netherlands with $2.85 billion.