Business · Trade · 3 hrs ago
South Korea posts record $61.46bn current-account surplus in September
South Korea recorded a $61.46 billion current-account surplus in September, the first monthly surplus above $60 billion.
The current account tracks money flowing into and out of the country through trade, services and investment income.
Strong semiconductor exports led the increase: goods exports rose 92.4% from a year earlier, while semiconductor exports jumped 260.3%.
The goods trade surplus also set a record, but non-IT export growth was much slower, and passenger car exports fell.
Services, including travel, remained in deficit, at $3.35 billion.
South Korea’s surplus for the first nine months reached $340.66 billion, and the central bank expects the full-year total to exceed its $450 billion forecast; it also expects October’s surplus to be among the largest on record.
South Korea recorded a current-account surplus of $61.46 billion in September, the largest monthly surplus on record.
The surplus was the first to exceed $60 billion in a single month.
A record $62.75 billion goods surplus, driven by strong exports including semiconductors, led the increase.
Exports rose 92.4% from a year earlier to $130.72 billion, while imports rose 29.4% to $67.97 billion.
The services account recorded a deficit of $3.35 billion.
- Who
- South Korea.
- What
- It recorded a current-account surplus of $61.46 billion, a monthly record.
- When
- September 2026; the Bank of Korea published the provisional figures on November 5.
- Where
- South Korea.
- Why
- Strong exports, especially semiconductors, boosted the goods surplus.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
South Korea recorded a current-account surplus of $61.46 billion.
The Bank of Korea released provisional international balance-of-payments figures for September.
- Current-account surplus
- $61.46 billion in September 2026
- Goods surplus
- $62.75 billion
- Goods exports
- $130.72 billion, up 92.4% year on year
- Goods imports
- $67.97 billion, up 29.4% year on year
- Services balance
- $3.35 billion deficit
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What people are saying
September's goods account recorded a record surplus as solid goods exports were joined by quarter-end effects.
The surplus in the third quarter exceeded last year's annual surplus.