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4h ago

South Korea Sets Record Current Account Surplus Through October

The central bank says the monthly surplus is likely to rebound above $10 billion from November on stronger semiconductor exports.

Containers are stacked at a port in Pyeongtaek, about 60 kilometers south of Seoul, on Nov. 14, 2025. (Yonhap)

Overview

  • Cumulative surplus reached $89.58 billion in the first 10 months, and the Bank of Korea projects a record full-year total near $115 billion.
  • October’s surplus was $6.81 billion, down from $13.47 billion in September, marking a 30-month streak of monthly surpluses since May 2023.
  • Fewer working days during the Oct. 3–9 Chuseok holiday cut exports 4.7% to $55.88 billion and trimmed the goods surplus to $7.82 billion, while imports fell 5% to $48.06 billion.
  • The services account ran a $3.75 billion deficit on strong outbound travel, partly offset by a $2.94 billion primary income surplus driven by higher equity income.
  • The financial account showed a $6.81 billion net asset increase, with residents’ overseas portfolio investment up $17.27 billion and foreign investors adding $5.2 billion to Korean stocks.