South Korea Posts Record Current Account Surplus

South Korea’s current account surplus widened sharply to a record high of USD 61.46 billion in September 2026, up from USD 46.11 billion in August. The goods account surplus increased to USD 62.75 billion in September from USD 46.81 billion in August, with exports jumping 92.4% yoy to USD 130.72 billion, while imports rose 29.4% to USD 67.97 billion. Exports surged, boosted by strong growth in semiconductor exports amid the global AI boom. Additionally, the primary income account surplus climbed to USD 2.65 billion from USD 1.92 billion, while the secondary income deficit narrowed to USD 0.59 billion from USD 0.94 billion, reflecting smaller secondary income payments. Meanwhile, the services account deficit widened to USD 3.35 billion from USD 1.68 billion, due to higher deficits in the use of intellectual property and other business services. For the first nine months of 2026, the current account surplus soared to USD 340.66 billion from USD 89.39 billion in the same period of 2025.

South Korea’s current account surplus widened to USD 46.11 billion in August 2026, up from USD 42.08 billion in July. The goods account surplus increased to USD 46.81 billion in August from USD 40.43 billion in July, with exports surging 82.1% yoy to USD 104.80 billion, while imports climbed 23.8% to USD 57.99 billion. Exports surged, boosted by strong growth in semiconductor exports amid the global AI boom. Additionally, the services account deficit narrowed to USD 1.68 billion from USD 1.97 billion, due to smaller deficits in the use of intellectual property, while the transportation surplus increased. Meanwhile, the primary income account surplus narrowed to USD 1.92 billion from USD 4.35 billion, while the secondary income deficit increased to USD 0.94 billion from USD 0.73 billion, reflecting higher secondary income payments. For the first eight months of 2026, the current account surplus jumped to USD 279.20 billion from USD 69.67 billion in the same period of 2025.

South Korea’s current account surplus narrowed to USD 42.08 billion in July 2026, down from a record high of USD 49.73 billion in June. The goods account surplus fell to USD 40.43 billion in July from USD 47.89 billion in June, with exports soaring 65.3% yoy to USD 100.45 billion, while imports rose 21.7% to USD 60.02 billion. Exports surged, boosted by strong growth in semiconductor exports amid the global AI boom. The primary income account surplus increased to USD 4.35 billion from USD 3.27 billion, driven by higher income on equity. Additionally, the secondary income deficit widened to USD 0.73 billion from USD 0.14 billion, reflecting higher secondary income payments. Meanwhile, the services account deficit rose to USD 1.97 billion from USD 1.209 billion, due to larger deficits in manufacturing services and the use of intellectual property. For the 1st seven months of 2026, the current account surplus jumped to USD 233.09 billion from USD 59.82 billion in the same period of 2025.