[THE INVESTOR]South Korea extended its trade surplus streak to 55 months in August, customs data showed on Sept. 13.

The country’s trade surplus came to US$5.1 billion last month, down from a record $7.6 billion in the previous month, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.

The figure also marked a 17.8 percent on-year rise from $4.3 billion tallied in the same month a year earlier, continuing its bullish run for 55 months in a row since February 2012.

The parade of monthly trade surpluses is led by a downward trend in exports and imports that has lasted for nearly two years, although the latest figures posted a rebound thanks to one-off factors, including increased working days.

South Korea’s exports rose 2.6 percent to $40.1 billion in August from a year ago to snap a 19-consecutive-month losing streak that started in January 2015.

At the same time, imports also turned around to edge up 0.7 percent to $35 billion last month, marking the first on-year growth in 23 months.

(theinvestor@heraldcorp.com)