Lee says South Korea is emerging as global economic leader on current account surplus

President Lee Jae Myung said Sunday that Korea has emerged as a leading player in the global economy, citing that the country posted the world's second-largest current account surplus among major economies in the second quarter.

The country's current account surplus reached $116.63 billion in the April to June period, trailing only China's $193.72 billion, according to International Monetary Fund data available on the Bank of Korea's Economic Statistics System.

"The Republic of Korea is now moving beyond being a country that follows advanced economies to become a leading nation shaping the global economic landscape," Lee wrote in a social media post, referring to Korea by its official name.

Lee noted that Korea's current account surplus exceeded Germany's and Japan's combined surpluses.

He also highlighted Korean companies' achievements in global markets, particularly in semiconductors, a key industry in the age of AI.

Lee called for the country to capitalize on these achievements to strengthen its industrial competitiveness and raise its potential growth rate.

Yonhap