South Korean companies' dividend payouts to foreign investors surged nearly 14 percent from a year earlier in 2013, partly reflecting a growth in foreign investment in the local market, related data showed Sunday. According to the Korea Securities Depository (KSD), local firms that settle their annual accounts in December paid a combined total of 4.63 trillion won (US$4.51 billion) in dividends to foreigners last year, up 13.9 percent from 2012.