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The Bank of Korea announced that the August current account surplus climbed $4 billion from July to reach $46.1 billion, placing it behind only the record $49.73 billion logged in June. Central bank preliminary data showed the reading also marked the third consecutive month above the $40 billion threshold. The development reflected sustained strength in external balances amid a global semiconductor upcycle that has bolstered outbound shipments across key technology categories.
According to the Bank of Korea, the goods account registered a surplus of $46.81 billion during the month, itself the second-highest figure ever recorded. Exports expanded 82.1 percent year-on-year to $104.8 billion, topping the $100 billion level for a third straight month, while imports advanced 23.8 percent to $57.99 billion. The central bank attributed the widened goods balance primarily to information technology products, with semiconductor exports more than tripling on a customs-clearance basis.
Bank of Korea figures show that outbound shipments of chips surged 206.1 percent from a year earlier on a customs basis, while related information and communications equipment rose 137.4 percent. Offsetting movements occurred in other segments, as exports of cars declined 30.1 percent and those of ships fell 45.2 percent. The central bank noted that petroleum product shipments gained 64.9 percent, contributing to the overall export momentum that has now persisted for several months.
The Bank of Korea placed the cumulative current account surplus for the first eight months of 2026 at $279.2 billion, nearly four times the amount recorded in the comparable period a year earlier. In 2025 the country achieved its largest-ever annual surplus of $123.05 billion, exceeding the previous high of $105.1 billion set in 2015. These successive records underscore the scale of the external surplus that has become a defining feature of the economy since the current streak commenced.
Data from the Bank of Korea indicated that the primary income account posted a surplus of $1.92 billion in August, supported by higher equity income receipts. In contrast, the services account recorded a deficit of $1.68 billion, driven mainly by shortfalls in travel and other business services. The central bank reported that the travel deficit widened during the peak overseas holiday season, though this was more than offset by the dominant goods performance.
South Korea has now recorded a current account surplus in every month since May 2023, bringing the uninterrupted positive run to 40 months as of August, the Bank of Korea confirmed. The central bank’s balance-of-payments release highlighted that the latest outturn maintained the elevated trajectory observed throughout the year. Additional detail in the preliminary statistics pointed to record outbound investment in foreign debt securities by residents, which reached $6.44 billion in the month.
