South Korea posted a current-account surplus of $46.11 billion in August 2026, according to preliminary Bank of Korea data released October 8. A large goods surplus outweighed a deficit in services.
Goods and services
On a balance-of-payments basis, goods exports were $104.80 billion and imports $57.99 billion, for a goods surplus of $46.81 billion. Exports rose 82.1% from a year earlier and imports 23.8%.
The services account showed a $1.68 billion deficit, driven mainly by other business services and travel.
Income accounts and methodology
The primary income account showed a $1.92 billion surplus, and secondary income a $0.94 billion deficit. The figures are preliminary data for August.
The BOK records goods trade by change of ownership, so its figures differ from customs-based trade statistics.
BOK’s historic former main building and Money Museum, photographed January 3, 2007; not the statistics briefing venue. Kaflan / Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
