South Korea Trade Balance Swings to Surplus

EthereumCraftsman · 2026-02-01T00:15:18+00:00

In January 2026, South Korea achieved a trade surplus of USD 8.74 billion, rebounding from a deficit the previous year due to a significant 33.9% rise in exports. Despite a record high in imports, overall trade performance exceeded expectations.

EthereumCraftsman

2026-02-01 00:15:18

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South Korea posted a trade surplus of USD 8.74 billion in January 2026, shifting from a USD 1.89 billion deficit a year earlier and surpassing expectations of USD 4.6 billion, due to a surge in exports, according to preliminary data. Outbound shipments jumped 33.9% from a year earlier to a record USD 65.8 billion, the strongest growth since August 2021, accelerating sharply from a downwardly revised 13.3% rise in December and exceeding forecasts of an 29.9% increase. Meanwhile, imports rose 11.7% to an all-time high of USD 57.40 billion, following a 4.6% gain in December but softer than expectations of a 14.6% growth.

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