SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – In a significant milestone for its economy, South Korea posted a record-breaking current account surplus of $49.73 billion in June, driven by a surge in semiconductor exports. The Bank of Korea announced a notable rise from the previous peak of $38.61 billion recorded in May. This marks the 38th consecutive month that South Korea has maintained a current account surplus. The primary driver of this expansion was robust goods exports, with technology shipments playing a leading role in boosting overseas sales.
For the first half of the year, the current account surplus reached an all-time high of $191.01 billion, surpassing previous records for January through June. This figure compares with $47.87 billion during the same period last year and exceeds South Korea’s total surplus of $123.05 billion for the entire year of 2025. The acceleration in export growth during this period was fueled by strong global demand for semiconductors and other information technology products, enhancing the country’s trade balance.
South Korea’s goods account achieved a historic surplus of $47.89 billion in June. Under balance-of-payments standards, goods exports reached $112.37 billion, a rise of 84.5% year-over-year. Meanwhile, imports increased by 38.6% to $64.48 billion in the same month. The growth gap between exports and imports contributed to the highest-ever monthly goods balance and was a major factor in the overall current account surplus.
Semiconductor exports propel tech sector growth
Exports of semiconductors surged by 196.9% compared to the previous year, representing the most significant increase among key technology categories. Computer peripheral exports climbed 282.7%, and total information technology exports grew by 160.4% during June. The rise was partly supported by shipments of solid-state drives and related equipment. Non-technology exports also saw an 18.6% increase, with petroleum and chemical products among the categories reporting higher shipments compared to June 2025.
Additional customs data indicated that South Korean exports totaled $102.25 billion in June, reflecting a 70.9% rise from the same month last year. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources recorded semiconductor exports at approximately $44.82 billion for the month. Imports grew by 30.1% to $66.10 billion, leading to 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 deficit partially offsets trade gains
The services account recorded a deficit of $1.29 billion in June, which somewhat offset the large surplus from goods trade. The travel sector contributed a $440 million surplus, marking its second month in a row with positive results. Additionally, the primary income account registered a $3.27 billion surplus for June, with dividend income making up $2.56 billion of that total. The financial account also experienced a substantial increase, showing a net asset growth of $46.71 billion.
Trade figures for July indicated that gains persisted after June’s record current account figure. South Korea’s exports reached $98.89 billion in July, up 62.8% from the same month last year. Semiconductor exports surged by 179%, while imports increased by 26.5% to $68.56 billion. The country’s customs trade surplus for July amounted to $30.32 billion, continuing the strong export momentum that contributed to the record current account surplus reported in June.