Seoul: South Korea's current account surplus reached an unprecedented high in June, propelled by robust semiconductor exports, as revealed by central bank data on Thursday. The surplus amounted to US$49.73 billion, surpassing the previous peak of $38.61 billion in May, according to data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).

According to Yonhap News Agency, this figure represents the largest monthly current account surplus ever recorded and highlights a continuation of exceptional performance for the second month in a row. Compared to the same period last year, the surplus surged from $13.97 billion. South Korea has consistently reported a current account surplus since May 2023, marking June as the 38th consecutive month of maintaining a positive balance.

In the first half of the year, the cumulative current account surplus reached $191.01 billion, setting a new record for the largest half-year surplus. This figure significantly exceeds the BOK's earlier projection of $151.5 billion and approaches the annual target of $250 billion. In 2025, South Korea posted its largest annual surplus to date at $123.05 billion, surpassing the previous high of $105.1 billion set in 2015.

The goods account surplus in June reached a record $47.89 billion, driven by an 84.5 percent year-on-year increase in exports to $112.37 billion, marking the first time exports have exceeded $100 billion. Imports rose by 38.6 percent to approximately $64.48 billion. Information technology product exports saw a 160.4 percent increase from the previous year, including a remarkable 196.9 percent rise in chip shipments and a 282.7 percent increase in computer peripherals.

Conversely, the services account recorded a deficit of $1.29 billion in June, widening from the previous month's $1.09 billion deficit due to increased intellectual property-related payments. The travel account, however, achieved a surplus of $440 million, the second-largest since October 2008, attributed to a rise in foreign tourists and a decline in Korean overseas travelers amid a weakening local currency and higher jet fuel prices.

The primary income account, which comprises wages of foreign workers and dividend and interest income from abroad, posted a surplus of $3.27 billion, driven by increased dividend income.