South Korea's Current Account Surplus Hits 5th-Largest in Jan Amid Chip Boom

The current account surplus totalled US$13.26 billion in January, down from $18.7 billion in December, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).

Compared with the same month a year earlier, however, the figure surged 397.4 percent, marking the fifth-largest monthly surplus on record, reports Yonhap news agency.

South Korea has recorded a current account surplus every month since May 2023, extending its surplus streak to 33 consecutive months, the second longest in history.

The nation logged the largest yearly surplus of $123.05 billion in 2025, surpassing the previous high of $105.1 billion set in 2015.

The goods account posted a surplus of $15.17 billion in January, the third-largest monthly figure on record, as exports jumped 30 percent on-year to $65.51 billion, while imports added 7 percent to $50.34 billion.

Chip exports soared 102.5 percent from a year earlier, while vehicle shipments increased 19 percent.

The services account recorded a deficit of $3.8 billion in January due mainly to a surge in overseas travel demand.

The primary income account, which includes wages of foreign workers, as well as dividend and interest income from abroad, posted a surplus of $2.72 billion, driven primarily by dividend earnings.

The secondary income account recorded a deficit of $830 million.

In the financial account, the country's net assets increased by $5.63 billion in January, sharply slowing from a $23.77 billion rise the previous month.

Overseas direct investment by South Korean residents rose by $7.04 billion, while foreign direct investment in South Korea increased $5.34 billion.

In securities investment, South Korean investors increased their overseas holdings, mostly in stocks, by $13.46 billion in January, while foreign investors boosted their investments here by $4.69 billion, the data showed.

- IANS