South Korea Posts Record-High Trade Surplus

South Korea’s trade surplus widened sharply to a record high of USD 49.85 billion in September 2026, up from USD 9.48 billion in the same month a year earlier, surpassing market expectations of USD 38.2 billion and marking the 20th consecutive month of surplus, as exports continued to outpace imports, flash data showed. Exports jumped 83.5% yoy to USD 120.9 billion, accelerating from a 68.7% surge in August, marking the fastest increase since February 1974, mainly driven by a surge in semiconductor shipments. Exports rose for the 16th consecutive month, reaching a record monthly high after exceeding USD 100 billion for the first time in June. Shipments to China jumped 123%, driven by strong demand for semiconductors and wireless communication equipment, while shipments to the US surged 137%, supported by growth in chip and petrochemical exports. Meanwhile, imports grew 26% yoy, accelerating from a downwardly revised 22.4% growth in August, supported by resilient domestic demand.

South Korea’s trade surplus widened to USD 34.75 billion in August 2026, up from USD 6.40 billion in the same month a year earlier, surpassing market expectations of USD 30.7 billion and marking the 19th consecutive month of surplus as exports continued to outpace imports, flash data showed. Exports surged 68.7% year-on-year to USD 98.25 billion, accelerating from an upwardly revised 63% jump in July, mainly driven by a surge in semiconductor shipments, which rose for the 15th consecutive month. Semiconductor shipments soared 209.0% year-on-year to a fresh record high of USD 46.65 billion, surpassing USD 40 billion for the third consecutive month. Shipments to China jumped 119.3%, boosted by strong demand for semiconductors and general machinery, while those to the US soared 89.3%, supported by export growth in semiconductors and computers. Meanwhile, imports rose 22.5% year-on-year to USD 63.51 billion, easing from 26.5% growth in July, supported by resilient domestic demand.

South Korea’s trade surplus surged to USD 30.32 billion in July 2026, up from USD 6.61 billion in the same month a year earlier, surpassing market expectations of USD 29.59 billion and marking the 18th consecutive month of surplus as exports continue to outpace imports, flash data showed. Exports soared 62.8% year-on-year to USD 98.89 billion, easing from a downwardly revised 70.7% surge in June and marking the second-highest figure on record after sales exceeded USD 100 billion for the first time in June, mainly driven by a surge in semiconductor shipments, which rose for the 14th consecutive month, driven by strong demand for memory chips, with semiconductor exports jumping 178.8% to a record USD 41.01 billion, surpassing USD 40 billion for the second month. Meanwhile, imports climbed 26.5% year-on-year to a record high of USD 68.56 billion, slowing from a downwardly revised 30.0% growth in June, supported by resilient domestic demand and a rebound in industrial activity.