South Korea Posts Record-High Trade Surplus

2026-06-01 00:08 By Chusnul Chotimah 1 min. read

South Korea’s trade surplus surged to USD 26.95 billion in May 2026, up from USD 6.93 billion in the same month a year earlier, surpassing market expectations of a USD 24.3 billion surplus and marking a 16th consecutive month in the black and the largest surplus on record, flash data showed.

Exports jumped 53.2% yoy to a record peak of USD 87.75 billion, beating market forecasts of 48.4% and accelerating from a 48.0% rise in April, mainly driven by a surge in semiconductor exports.

Shipments rose for a 12th straight month, with semiconductor sales soaring 169.4% to a record USD 37.16 billion, lifted by strong AI investment.

Shipments to China and the US surged by 80.9% and 59.1%, respectively.

Meanwhile, imports increased 20.8%, softer than expectations of 21.5% but accelerating from 16.7% growth in April, and the fastest pace since August 2022, supported by resilient domestic demand.

For the first five months of the year, the country posted a USD 101.91 billion surplus.



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South Korea Posts Record-High Trade Surplus
South Korea’s trade surplus surged to USD 26.95 billion in May 2026, up from USD 6.93 billion in the same month a year earlier, surpassing market expectations of a USD 24.3 billion surplus and marking a 16th consecutive month in the black and the largest surplus on record, flash data showed. Exports jumped 53.2% yoy to a record peak of USD 87.75 billion, beating market forecasts of 48.4% and accelerating from a 48.0% rise in April, mainly driven by a surge in semiconductor exports. Shipments rose for a 12th straight month, with semiconductor sales soaring 169.4% to a record USD 37.16 billion, lifted by strong AI investment. Shipments to China and the US surged by 80.9% and 59.1%, respectively. Meanwhile, imports increased 20.8%, softer than expectations of 21.5% but accelerating from 16.7% growth in April, and the fastest pace since August 2022, supported by resilient domestic demand. For the first five months of the year, the country posted a USD 101.91 billion surplus.
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South Korea Trade Surplus Exceeds Forecasts
South Korea’s trade surplus jumped to USD 23.77 billion in April 2026, up from USD 4.88 billion in the same month a year earlier, beating market expectations of a USD 23 billion surplus and marking a 15th consecutive month in the black, flash data showed. Exports surged 48% year-on-year, surpassing market forecasts of 45.3%, though slightly easing from an upwardly revised 49.2% jump in March, mainly driven by a surge in semiconductor exports. Shipments rose for an 11th straight month, with semiconductor sales soaring 173.5% to USD 31.9 billion, the highest-ever figure for any April, fueled by strong AI investment and rising memory chip prices. Shipments to China (62.5%) and the US (54%) jumped, driven by semiconductors. Meanwhile, imports grew 16.7%, faster than expectations of 14.5% and accelerating from a 13.2% increase in March, marking a sixth consecutive month of expansion and supported by resilient domestic demand.
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South Korea Trade Surplus Reaches New Record
South Korea's trade surplus surged to a fresh record of USD 25.74 billion in March 2026, up from USD 4.99 billion in the same month a year earlier, beating market expectations of a USD 21.2 billion surplus and marking a 14th consecutive month in the black, flash data showed. Exports jumped 48.3% year-on-year to a new peak of USD 86.13 billion for the month, exceeding forecasts of 44.9% and accelerating sharply from February’s downwardly revised 28.7% rise. This marked the strongest growth since August 1988, with exports surpassing USD 80 billion for the first time, mainly boosted by semiconductors. Meanwhile, imports climbed 13.2%, softer than expectations of 18% but accelerating from a 7.5% increase in February, marking a fifth consecutive month of expansion, supported by resilient domestic demand.
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