(LEAD) S. Korea posts 2nd-largest current account surplus in April: BOK

SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea posted its second-largest monthly current account surplus in April, driven by strong exports of semiconductors, central bank data showed Friday.

The current account surplus totaled US$28.29 billion in April, down from an all-time high of $37.93 billion in March, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).

Compared with the same month a year earlier, the figure surged from $4.51 billion, marking the second-largest monthly surplus on record after the March figure.

In the first four months of the year, the country racked up $102.6 billion in current account surplus, significantly larger than $24 billion in surplus posted during the same period of last year.

South Korea has reported a current account surplus every month since May 2023, extending its winning streak to 36 consecutive months, the second longest in history.

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.

Containers are stacked at a port in the city of Busan on June 1, 2026. (Yonhap)

The goods account posted a surplus of $33.88 billion in April, marking the second largest ever, as exports surged 54.5 percent on-year to $90.59 billion, while imports went up 16.1 percent to about $56.7 billion.

Exports of information technology (IT) products soared 125.9 percent from a year earlier, including a 171.4 percent surge in chip shipments and a 411.3 percent rise in computer peripherals.

The services account recorded a deficit of $2.42 billion in April due mainly to an increase in the payment of other business services.

The primary income account, which includes wages of foreign workers, as well as dividend and interest income from abroad, posted a deficit of $2.53 billion due to increased dividend payouts.

The secondary income account recorded a $640 million deficit.

In the financial account, the country's net assets increased by $25.46 billion in April, down from a $36.99 billion rise the previous month.

Overseas direct investment by South Korean residents rose by $6.24 billion, while foreign direct investment in South Korea fell $1.36 billion.

In securities investment, local investors increased their overseas holdings, mainly in stocks, by $8.22 billion in April, while foreign investors expanded their Korean investments by $3.51 billion, the latest findings showed.