The current account balance has been in the black for five months...$11.12 billion

The current account, the final report card for international trade, has been in the black for five months.

According to the Bank of Korea data, the current account surplus stood at $11.12 billion in September.

The surplus increased by $4.6 billion from August, the previous month.

As of September, it is the third largest scale ever.

The goods account for the largest portion of the current account surplus was $10.67 billion, up $4.15 billion from the previous month.

Exports rose to $61.67 billion, up $4.3 billion from the previous month, continuing their 12th month of gains.

Although non-IT items such as petroleum products have been on the decline, passenger cars have shifted and semiconductor and IT items have continued to increase.

Imports were $51 billion, up only $140 million from the previous month.

On top of that, the primary income balance, which subtracts the money earned by foreigners from the money earned abroad, was $3.09 billion, up $1.4 billion from the previous month, contributing to the overall surplus.

However, the service balance was larger than the previous month, recording a deficit of $2.24 billion.

Although the deficit in the travel account decreased as the peak overseas travel season ended, it is analyzed that the intellectual property usage fee balance worsened.