SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – In June, South Korea’s current account surplus hit an all-time high of $49.73 billion, driven by a surge in semiconductor exports. The Bank of Korea indicated a significant rise from the previous record of $38.61 billion set in May. This marks the 38th consecutive month of current account surpluses for the nation. The majority of this increase was fueled by strong goods exports, with technology shipments playing a key role in boosting overseas sales.
The cumulative current account surplus for the first half of the year reached $191.01 billion, establishing a new record for January through June. This compares to $47.87 billion during the same period last year and surpasses South Korea’s entire 2025 surplus of $123.05 billion. The growth was propelled by rising exports as global demand for semiconductors and other tech products supported the country’s trade figures.
South Korea’s goods account posted a record surplus of $47.89 billion in June. Under balance-of-payments standards, goods exports climbed 84.5% year-over-year to $112.37 billion, while imports increased by 38.6% to $64.48 billion in the same month. The gap between export and import growth contributed to pushing the goods balance to its highest monthly level and was the largest contributor to the overall current account surplus.
Technology sector leads export growth, especially semiconductors
Exports of semiconductors surged 196.9% compared to the previous year, marking the strongest growth among key tech categories. Computer peripheral exports rose 282.7%, and overall information technology exports increased 160.4% during June. The rise was supported by shipments of solid-state drives and related equipment. Non-technology exports also grew by 18.6%, with petroleum and chemical products among categories that exported more compared to June 2025.
According to separate customs data, South Korea’s total exports reached $102.25 billion in June, a 70.9% increase from the previous year. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources reported semiconductor exports of about $44.82 billion for the month. Imports grew 30.1% to $66.10 billion, resulting in a customs trade surplus of $36.15 billion. These customs figures differ from the balance-of-payments data due to differences in accounting methods and coverage standards.
Services sector’s deficit slightly diminishes overall gains
The services account recorded a deficit of $1.29 billion in June, partially offsetting the large surplus from goods trade. The travel sector posted a $440 million surplus for the second month in a row. The primary income account contributed a $3.27 billion surplus, with dividend income accounting for $2.56 billion. Meanwhile, the financial account saw a $46.71 billion increase in net assets.
Trade data for July continued the upward trend seen in June’s record current account. Exports reached $98.89 billion, a 62.8% rise from the previous year. Semiconductor exports jumped 179%, and imports increased 26.5% to $68.56 billion. The customs trade surplus for July was $30.32 billion, sustaining the strong export momentum observed with the prior month’s record current account surplus.