South Korea ’ s current account balance posted a surplus for the 17 th consecutive month , driven by burgeoning exports . According to the Bank of Korea ( BOK ) on Monday , the country ’ s current account balance recorded $ 4 . 94 billion in surplus in July 2011 , growing by $ 2 . 91 billion in June . The figure is the largest amount in nine months since last October ’ s $ 5 . 11 billion . The current account surplus is mainly attributable to surplus in goods account balance . As exports centering on steel and petrochemical products expanded , the goods account surplus widened to $ 5 . 89 billion from $ 2 . 7 billion . The services account balance saw a slightly bigger deficit due to a widened travel account deficit resulting from seasonal factors including summer vacations , growing from $ 630 million last month to $ 690 million . The primary income account surplus narrowed from $ 240 million to $ 70 million , owing to a large increase in dividend payments , while the secondary income account deficit widened from $ 280 million to $ 340 million as outward remittances increased . Exports for July posted $ 50 . 6 billion , growing by $ 3 billion from $ 47 . 76 billion last month and by 25 . 2 % from last year . Imports recorded $ 44 . 28 billion , rising by 25 % from the same month last year . The growth , however , was smaller than the previous growth rate of 27 . 5 % in June . Direct investment shifted from a net outflow of 2 . 14 billion dollars to a net inflow of 330 million dollars as the retrieval of outward foreign direct investment rose sharply . Portfolio investment turned from a $ 1 . 4 billion outflow to a $ 9 . 26 billion inflow as bond and stock investments by foreigners rose significantly . [ Written by Ik - ho Choi - Su - hyun Song / edited by Soyoung Chung ] ▶ [ 화보 ] 실격 당해 울 고 싶 은 ` 번개 ` 우사인 볼트 ▶ 불경기 의 먹구름 이 몰려온다 ▶ 손연재 ‘ 미스 토너먼트 ’ 선정 , 베를린 도 손연재 매력 에 ‘ 풍덩 ’▶ 삼 성판 카카오톡 출시 소식 에 관심 ↑… 무슨 기능 있 을까 ? ▶ 비욘세 임신 “ 아들 이 든 딸 이 든 얼굴 은 제발 엄마 닮 길 ! ”