The current account surplus in the second quarter reached USD 116.63 billion, according to data on the statistic of major economies compiled by the International Monetary Fund and posted on the Bank of Korea's Economic Statistics System on Oct. 25, second among 36 major economies, trailing only China (USD 193.72 billion). Shown are containers stacked high at Pier 3 of Busan New Port. (Busan Port Authority)

By Kim Seon Ah

The current account surplus in the second quarter of the year in a first surpassed the combined figures of Germany and Japan.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says Korea's surplus for all of 2026 is on track to finish second in the world, trailing only China.

Korea's black figure reached USD 116.63 billion from April through June, according to data on the current account balances of major economies compiled by the IMF and published on Oct. 25 on the Bank of Korea's Economic Statistics System. The country ranked second among 36 major economies, trailing only China (USD 193.72 billion).

Korea's surplus was USD 13.74 billion more than the combined figures of Germany (USD 52.28 billion) and Japan (USD 50.62 billion), a first since 1996, when comparable statistics were first available.

The record was 4.1 times more than USD 28.39 billion in the same quarter last year.

The IMF's October World Economic Outlook forecast the surplus for 2026 at USD 421.94 billion, good for second worldwide, up from fifth last year.

The surplus as a percentage of gross domestic product is also expected to hit 18.8%, the highest since the IMF began tracking such data in 1980.

sofiakim218@korea.kr