South Korea: Trade Surplus Beats Estimates.

South Korea’s trade surplus widened sharply to USD 42.50 billion in October 2026, up from USD 6.00 billion in the same month a year earlier, surpassing market expectations of USD 37.24 billion and marking the 21th consecutive month of surplus. It was the second-largest on-record trade surplus, as exports continued to outpace imports, flash data showed. Exports surged 93.7% yoy, accelerating from an 83.7% surge in September, mainly driven by a surge in semiconductor shipments. Meanwhile, imports jumped 36% yoy, accelerating from a 26% rise in September, supported by resilient domestic demand.