Korea's current account surplus exceeded US$6 billion in September, up from a revised $2.5 billion a month earlier as the country's exports grew at a faster rate than imports.

September marks the eighth straight month of surplus and represents the second-largest monthly surplus since July, when the positive trade balance peaked at more than $6.1 billion. With the strong turnaround, Korea logged nearly $29 billion in cumulative surplus this year, stepping closer to the central bank's full-year estimate of $34 billion.

In September, outbound shipments rose 1 percent on-year to nearly $48 billion due to a recovery in overseas sales of petroleum products and chemicals. At the same time, imports dropped nearly 7 percent on-year to $42 billion.