South Korea's July current account surplus hits second-highest monthly level on record

South Korea posted a current account surplus in July, central bank data showed Friday, led by robust exports amid the global artificial intelligence boom.

The current account surplus totaled $42 billion in July, down $7.65 billion from a month earlier, according to data from the Bank of Korea.

Compared with the same month a year earlier, the figure jumped $30.1 billion.

It marked the second-largest monthly figure following $49.73 billion set in June. It was also the highest for any July.

The BOK said the goods account posted a surplus of $40.43 billion in July, as exports shot up 65.3 percent on-year to $100.4 billion.

The central bank added the primary income account also logged a $4.35 billion surplus following an increase in the equity income.

South Korea has reported a current account surplus every month since May 2023, making July the 39th consecutive month the balance has remained in the black.

In 2025, the country posted its largest annual surplus on record at $123.05 billion, exceeding the previous high of $105.1 billion set in 2015. (Yonhap)