Corée du Sud Balance Commerciale

South Korea's trade surplus widened to USD 9.56 billion in September 2025, up from USD 6.66 billion in the same month a year earlier, and exceeding market expectations of USD 7.81 billion. It marked the largest trade surplus since September 2018, as exports grew more sharply than imports, according to preliminary data. Exports surged 12.7% year-on-year, well above expectations of 7.2% and sharply accelerating from a downwardly revised 1.2% gain in August. This marked the fourth consecutive month of export growth and the fastest pace since July 2024, driven by robust demand for semiconductors—the country’s top export item—which soared 22.0% year-on-year to a record USD 16.6 billion. Meanwhile, imports rose 8.2% in September, rebounding from a 0.4% decline in August and beating market forecasts of a 5.6% increase, marking the strongest growth since July 2024 amid the government's effort to boost domestic demand.