South Korea: Trade Surplus Above Estimates.

South Korea's trade surplus widened to USD 6.06 billion in October 2025, up from USD 3.15 billion in the same month a year earlier, surpassing expectations of USD 2.98 billion, according to preliminary data. Exports grew 3.6% yoy, sharply slowing from a 12.7% surge in September, marking the fifth consecutive month of export growth, driven by robust demand for semiconductors—the country’s top export item—which jumped 25.4% yoy to USD 15.73 billion, the highest value for any October. On Wednesday, South Korea and the US announced that they will reduce reciprocal tariffs from 25% to 15%, as agreed last July. Meanwhile, tariffs on automobiles and auto parts will remain at 25%. However, shipments to the US plunged 16.2%, reflecting the impact of the new tariffs. Meanwhile, imports dropped 1.5%, reversing an 8.2% rise in September and compared with forecasts of a 1.4% fall. Trade flows were affected by this year’s Chuseok holiday, which fell in October, resulting in fewer working days.