( LEAD ) S . Korea ' s current account surplus increases to US $ 8 . 4 bln in Feb ( ATTN : UPDATES with details ) SEOUL , April 5 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea ' s current account surplus rose in February from a year earlier due to an increased surplus in the goods account , central bank data showed Wednesday . The country ' s current account surplus reached US $ 8 . 4 billion in February , compared with a surplus of $ 7 . 62 billion a year earlier , according to the preliminary data from the Bank of Korea ( BOK ) . The figure represents a surplus for 60 months in a row . The current account is the biggest measure of cross - border trade . The BOK said the goods account surplus widened to $ 10 . 55 billion , up from $ 7 . 93 billion a year earlier . Meanwhile , the services account deficit widened to $ 2 . 23 billion from a deficit of $ 1 . 16 billion a year earlier due to a rise in overseas trips . The number of South Koreans who traveled to foreign countries jumped 18 . 9 percent on - year to 2 . 23 million in February , according to data compiled by the Korea Tourism Organization . The primary income account surplus narrowed to $ 630 million in February from a surplus of $ 830 million a year earlier . Exports rose 23 percent on - year to $ 44 . 63 billion in February , with imports surging 20 . 2 percent to $ 34 . 08 billion . entropy @ yna . co . kr ( END )