South Korea's current account surplus reached a record second-highest level in August, driven mainly by strong export growth during the global semiconductor industry's upcycle. According to Sina Finance, the Bank of Korea said the surplus totaled $46.1 billion in August, up $4 billion from the previous month and $36.2 billion from a year earlier.

The Bank of Korea said the goods trade account posted a $46.81 billion surplus in August, while exports rose 82.1% year over year to $104.8 billion and imports increased 23.8% to $57.99 billion. It added that the primary income account recorded a $1.92 billion surplus, supported by higher equity investment income.

South Korea has posted a current account surplus every month since May 2023, and August marked the 40th consecutive month of surplus. In 2025, South Korea recorded a record annual surplus of $123.05 billion, exceeding the previous high of $105.1 billion set in 2015.