Bank of Korea reports 2025 current account surplus rises to USD 123.05 billion on stronger goods balance

The Bank of Korea published preliminary 2025 balance of payments by region data showing the total current account surplus widened to USD 123.05 billion from USD 99.97 billion in 2024. The increase was driven by a larger goods surplus of USD 138.07 billion, up USD 27.16 billion from a year earlier. The services balance moved further into deficit at USD 34.52 billion, while the primary income surplus edged up to USD 27.92 billion and the secondary income deficit was broadly unchanged at USD 8.42 billion. Regionally, the United States remained the largest current account surplus market at USD 111.42 billion, although that was USD 5.55 billion lower than in 2024. Surpluses with Southeast Asia and the European Union increased to USD 71.84 billion and USD 24.42 billion, while deficits with China and Japan widened to USD 25.32 billion and USD 20.30 billion. The Middle East deficit narrowed sharply to USD 49.75 billion from USD 67.96 billion. In the financial account, the regional total was USD 41.23 billion, down from USD 49.73 billion in 2024. Direct investment assets into the United States fell to USD 20.03 billion, while portfolio investment assets rose to USD 140.28 billion overall, including USD 109.13 billion in the United States and USD 13.36 billion in the European Union. Portfolio investment liabilities increased to USD 52.54 billion, with the European Union showing the largest regional rise at USD 31.68 billion.