Korea posts record-high current account surplus in May

Korea posted an all-time high current account surplus in May on robust exports of semiconductors, central bank data showed Wednesday.

The current account surplus totaled $38.6 billion in May, up from $28.3 billion the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).

It marked the largest monthly current account surplus ever, surpassing the previous record of $37.9 billion set in March.

Compared to the same month a year earlier, the figure surged from $9.9 billion.

Korea has reported a current account surplus every month since May 2023, extending its winning streak to 37 consecutive months.

In 2025, the country posted its largest annual surplus on record at $123.1 billion, exceeding the previous high of $105.1 billion set in 2015.

The goods account posted a surplus of $37.9 billion in May, marking the largest, as exports surged 62.9 percent on year to $94.3 billion, while imports went up 22.2 percent to about $56.5 billion.

Exports of information technology products soared 128.9 percent from a year earlier, including a 167.7 percent surge in chip shipments and a 249.4 percent rise in computer peripherals.

The services account recorded a deficit of $1.1 billion in May, narrowing the loss from the previous month's $2.4 billion on decreasing travel deficit and intellectual property-related payments.

The primary income account, which includes wages of foreign workers, as well as dividend and interest income from abroad, posted a surplus of $2.2 billion on increased dividend income.

The secondary income account recorded a $330 million deficit.

Yonhap