FX.co ★ South Korea Posts Largest Trade Surplus Since 2018

In September 2025, South Korea's trade surplus expanded significantly to USD 9.56 billion, compared to USD 6.66 billion during the same month the previous year, surpassing analysts' expectations of USD 7.81 billion. This represented the largest trade surplus since September 2018, driven by a more robust increase in exports than imports, based on preliminary figures. Exports experienced a notable increase of 12.7% year-on-year, far exceeding the anticipated 7.2% and accelerating sharply from a revised 1.2% rise in August. This growth marked the fourth consecutive month of export expansion and the most rapid pace since July 2024. Concurrently, imports climbed 8.2% in September, rebounding from a 0.4% dip in August and outpacing market predictions of a 5.6% rise.