South Korea's current account surplus reached a record $61.5 billion in September 2026, supported by surging semiconductor exports as global investment in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure boosted demand for technology products.
According to a report by CNBC TV18, citing Bank of Korea data, the surplus increased from $46.1 billion in August, surpassing the previous record of $49.7 billion registered in June.
It marked the first time the country's monthly current account surplus exceeded $60 billion.
During January-September 2026, the cumulative surplus reached $340.66 billion, compared with $83.89 billion in the corresponding period last year.
South Korea's goods account registered a record surplus of $62.75 billion in September.
Exports jumped 92.4% year-on-year to $130.72 billion, while imports increased 29.4% to $67.97 billion.
Information technology (IT) shipments rose approximately 196%, led by a 260.3% surge in semiconductor exports.
Computer peripherals, including solid-state drives, recorded an even sharper increase of 392.3%.
Exports outside the technology sector also grew 13.4%, indicating broader improvements in overseas demand.
The export momentum continued into October, with shipments climbing 93.7% to a record $115.28 billion.
Semiconductor exports increased 259.4% to $56.44 billion, while computer shipments rose nearly fivefold amid strong demand for AI servers.
The technology export boom has supported economic growth, with third-quarter expansion exceeding market expectations.
Leading chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix also reported strong profits as demand for advanced semiconductors accelerated.
South Korea is now on course to surpass $1 trillion in annual exports.
However, the economy's growing reliance on semiconductor demand presents potential risks if global AI investment slows.
Concerns have emerged following reported Democratic victories in the US midterm elections, which could increase scrutiny of data centre projects.
Any slowdown in AI infrastructure investment could affect demand for South Korean chips and weaken the country's export growth.
