South Korea trade remains strong, but currency pressures persist

Widening trade surplus signals firm growth in 2Q26 South Korea’s exports increased a greater-than-expected 53.2% year-on-year in May (vs 48.0% in April, 49.3% market consensus, 52% ING). Despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, export growth accelerated, with working day-adjusted shipments jumping 60.7%. Exports for the first five months rose 43.4%, compared to 40.9% ...