SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – In June, South Korea achieved a historic current account surplus of $49.73 billion, driven by a significant rise in semiconductor exports. The Bank of Korea indicated this was a notable jump from the previous peak of $38.61 billion recorded in May. The country’s surplus streak extended to 38 months with this remarkable monthly performance. A large portion of this growth was fueled by robust goods exports, with technology shipments leading the way in boosting the nation’s international sales.
The cumulative current account surplus for the first half of the year hit a record $191.01 billion, surpassing the $47.87 billion recorded during the same period last year. This total also exceeded South Korea’s entire 2025 surplus of $123.05 billion. The acceleration in exports during this period was supported by increasing global demand for semiconductors and other IT products, elevating the country’s trade figures.
South Korea’s goods account reached a record surplus of $47.89 billion in June. Under balance-of-payments standards, goods exports rose by 84.5% from a year earlier to $112.37 billion, while imports grew by 38.6% to $64.48 billion in the same month. This divergence between export and import growth was a key factor in pushing the goods balance to its highest monthly level and contributed significantly to the overall current account surplus.
Technology exports lead the surge in semiconductor shipments
Exports of semiconductors increased by 196.9% compared to the previous year, marking the largest growth among major tech sectors. During June, computer peripheral exports grew by 282.7%, while overall information technology exports saw a rise of 160.4%. The increase was partly driven by shipments of solid-state drives and related equipment. Non-technology exports also improved by 18.6%, with petroleum and chemical products among categories experiencing higher shipment volumes compared to June 2025.
Additional customs data revealed total exports of about $102.25 billion for June, a 70.9% increase from the previous year. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources reported semiconductor exports totaling approximately $44.82 billion for the same month. Imports rose by 30.1%, reaching $66.10 billion, resulting in a customs trade surplus of $36.15 billion. It is important to note that customs trade figures differ from balance-of-payments data due to variations in accounting methods and coverage standards.
Services sector’s deficit diminishes overall gains
In June, the services account showed a $1.29 billion deficit, partly offsetting the large surplus from goods trade. The travel sector produced a $440 million surplus, marking its second consecutive month of positive results. The primary income account contributed a $3.27 billion surplus during the month, with dividend income accounting for $2.56 billion. Additionally, the financial account saw a $46.71 billion increase in net assets.
Trade figures for July continued the positive momentum following June’s record current account surplus. South Korea’s exports reached $98.89 billion, reflecting a 62.8% rise compared to the previous year. Semiconductor exports surged by 179%, and imports increased by 26.5% to $68.56 billion. The nation’s customs trade surplus for July was $30.32 billion, further reinforcing the strong export trend that supported the previous month’s record current account performance.