KORU vs. KDEF

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

KORU (Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares) and KDEF (PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - KORU is a South Korea Equities fund tracking the MSCI Korea 25/50 Index, while KDEF is a Aerospace & Defense fund tracking the The Korea Defence Industry Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, KORU returned 302.72% vs -8.83% for KDEF. Their 0.48 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. KORU charges 1.32%/yr vs 0.65%/yr for KDEF.

Performance

KORU vs. KDEF - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares (KORU) and PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF (KDEF). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, KORU achieves a 65.13% return, which is significantly higher than KDEF's -17.97% return.

KORU

• 1D: -7.92%
• 1M: -44.63%
• 6M: -13.80%
• YTD: 65.13%
• 1Y: 302.72%
• 3Y*: 42.96%
• 5Y*: -3.04%
• 10Y*: 2.30%
• ALL TIME*: -1.22%

KDEF

• 1D: -5.87%
• 1M: -16.92%
• 6M: -37.55%
• YTD: -17.97%
• 1Y: -8.83%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 47.27%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
KDEF PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF	$2.93M	$2.70M	$5.83M
KORU Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares	$685.69M	$790.89M	$775.54M

KORU vs. KDEF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
KORU Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares	65.13%	351.58%
KDEF PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF	-17.97%	116.28%

Correlation

The correlation between KORU and KDEF is 0.50, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.50
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 5, 2025	0.48

The correlation between KORU and KDEF has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.48 to 0.50 - a consistent structural relationship.

KORU vs. KDEF - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	KORU	KDEF
Technology	61.3%	2.1%
Industrials	15.4%	89.9%
Financial Services	8.8%	-
Consumer Cyclical	4.7%	6.2%
Healthcare	3.1%	1.8%
Communication Services	2.6%	-
Consumer Defensive	1.7%	-
Basic Materials	1.2%	-
Energy	1.0%	-
Utilities	0.3%	-
Real Estate	-	-

Return for Risk

KORU vs. KDEF — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

KORU

KORU Risk / Return Rank: 78
KORU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 74
KORU Sortino Ratio Rank: 77
KORU Omega Ratio Rank: 80
KORU Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
KORU Martin Ratio Rank: 74

KDEF

KDEF Risk / Return Rank: 8
KDEF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8
KDEF Sortino Ratio Rank: 9
KDEF Omega Ratio Rank: 9
KDEF Calmar Ratio Rank: 8
KDEF Martin Ratio Rank: 7

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

KORU vs. KDEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares (KORU) and PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF (KDEF). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	KORU	KDEF	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.68	-0.22	+1.91
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.44	0.03	+2.41
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.34	1.00	+0.33
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.32	-0.24	+3.56
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.21	-0.65	+9.86

KORU vs. KDEF - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current KORU Sharpe Ratio is 1.68, which is higher than the KDEF Sharpe Ratio of -0.22. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of KORU and KDEF, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

KORU vs. KDEF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum KORU drawdown since its inception was -95.79%, which is greater than KDEF's maximum drawdown of -48.41%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KORU and KDEF.

Drawdown Indicators

	KORU	KDEF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-95.79%	-48.41%	-47.38%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-80.90%	-48.41%	-32.49%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-80.90%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-92.74%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-95.79%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-76.30%	-45.43%	-30.87%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-57.44%	-9.66%	-47.78%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	29.12%	17.58%	+11.54%

Volatility

KORU vs. KDEF - Volatility Comparison

Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares (KORU) has a higher volatility of 64.87% compared to PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF (KDEF) at 20.91%. This indicates that KORU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than KDEF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	KORU	KDEF	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	64.87%	20.91%	+43.96%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	154.02%	43.62%	+110.40%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	159.66%	51.45%	+108.21%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	96.56%	50.20%	+46.36%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	85.82%	50.20%	+35.62%

KORU vs. KDEF - Expense Ratio Comparison

KORU has a 1.32% expense ratio, which is higher than KDEF's 0.65% expense ratio.

Dividends

KORU vs. KDEF - Dividend Comparison

KORU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.53%, less than KDEF's 8.38% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
KDEF PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF	8.38%	5.06%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
KORU Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares	0.53%	0.89%	4.10%	2.55%	0.48%	0.76%	0.01%	0.93%	1.40%	3.59%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both KORU and KDEF in my portfolio?

KORU and KDEF have a correlation of 0.50, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, KORU or KDEF?

KORU has higher volatility (64.87%) compared to KDEF (20.91%). In terms of maximum drawdown, KORU dropped -95.79% vs KDEF's -48.41%.

Which ETF is better, KORU or KDEF?

On 1-year performance, KORU leads with 302.72% vs -8.83% for KDEF. On fees, KDEF is cheaper at 0.65% per year. On volatility, KDEF has been the lower-risk option at 20.91%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, KORU or KDEF?

Over the 1-year period, KORU has performed better with a 302.72% return vs -8.83%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, KORU or KDEF?

KDEF is cheaper with a 0.65% expense ratio, compared with 1.32% for KORU.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, KORU or KDEF?

KDEF has the higher dividend yield at 8.38%, compared with 0.53% for KORU.

What is the main difference between KORU and KDEF?

KORU is categorized as South Korea Equities, while KDEF is Aerospace & Defense. KORU tracks MSCI Korea 25/50 Index, while KDEF tracks The Korea Defence Industry Index. They also come from different issuers: Direxion and PLUS. Their fees differ too: 1.32% for KORU and 0.65% for KDEF.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

KORU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.68 vs -0.22), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.