Seoul: Despite a trade surplus in sectors like K-pop and cultural content, South Korea continued to experience a deficit in cultural and knowledge services trade in the first half of 2026, as revealed by central bank data on Thursday. The Bank of Korea (BOK) reported that the trade deficit in cultural, information, and knowledge services reached $6.44 billion from January to June, a significant increase from the $5.44 billion deficit recorded in the second half of 2025.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the services covered by this data encompass intellectual property royalties, information and communication services, cultural and leisure services, and professional and business services. Specifically, information and communication services achieved a surplus of $2.42 billion during this period, while cultural and leisure services, including K-pop and other content, recorded a surplus of $720 million.

However, South Korea faced a $4.9 billion deficit in intellectual property royalties and a $4.67 billion deficit in the professional and business services sector. By region, the country registered a trade surplus of $2.62 billion in the Asian market. In contrast, it reported a $3.32 billion deficit in trade with North America and a $2.25 billion deficit in Europe, according to the latest findings.