Containers are stacked at a port in the southeastern city of Busan on Oct. 1, 2026. (Yonhap)

According to Yonhap News,

SEJONG, Oct. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea posted a current account surplus in August, the central bank said Thursday, the second highest on record, on the back of the robust exports amid the global semiconductor upcycle.

The current account surplus totaled USD 46.1 billion in August, up USD 4 billion from a month earlier, according to data by the Bank of Korea (BOK).

Compared with the same month in 2025, the figure jumped USD 36.2 billion.

It marked the second-largest figure, following USD 49.73 billion set in June this year.

The figure remained above the USD 40 billion mark for the third consecutive month. In July, it stood at USD 42 billion.

Over the January-August period, the current account surplus totaled USD 279.2 billion, nearly quadrupling from the same period a year earlier.

"The current account figures through August are in line with the forecast," a BOK official said, noting the annual current account surplus is expected to reach the projected USD 450 billion.

The official, however, noted the country needs to take external factors into consideration, such as oil price volatility stemming from the Middle East war.

"Exports exceeded USD 100 billion for three straight months, led by semiconductors," the official said. "With chip export volumes and prices remaining high, whether the current trend continues will depend on developments in the semiconductor sector."

The BOK said the goods account posted a surplus of USD 46.81 billion in August, as exports shot up 82.1 percent on-year to USD 104.8 billion in the month, while imports rose 23.8 percent to USD 57.99 billion.

Exports of chips more than tripled on a customs-clearance basis, while those of petroleum products gained 64.9 percent, the BOK report showed. Outbound shipments of cars and ships, meanwhile, fell 30.1 percent and 45.2 percent, respectively.

The services account recorded a deficit of USD 1.68 billion in August, mainly due to deficits in other business services and travel, the bank said.

Within the services account, the travel deficit widened to USD 770 million from USD 340 million in July.

The central bank added the primary income account, which covers wages of foreign workers, as well as dividend and interest income from abroad, logged a USD 1.92 billion surplus.

South Korea has reported a current account surplus every month since May 2023, making August the 40th consecutive month the balance has remained in the black.

In 2025, the country posted its largest annual surplus on record at USD 123.05 billion, exceeding the previous high of USD 105.1 billion set in 2015.

kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr



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Source: Yonhap News (October 07, 2026)