South Korea’s manufacturing sector strengthened in September 2026, with the S&P Global Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rising to 53.9, up from 52.3 in August 2026. The latest reading, updated on 1 October 2026, signals a faster pace of expansion in the country’s factory activity.
The move further above the 50.0 threshold, which separates expansion from contraction, suggests that operating conditions in South Korea’s manufacturing sector continued to improve through the end of the third quarter. While detailed drivers of the increase were not provided, the higher PMI level indicates broader growth momentum compared with the previous month.
