SEJONG — Korea posted a current account surplus in August, the central bank said Thursday, the second highest on record, on the back of the robust exports amid the global semiconductor upcycle. The current account surplus totaled $46.1 billion in August, up $4 billion from a month earlier, according to data by the Bank of Korea (BOK). Compared with the same month in 2025, the figure jumped $36.2 billion. It marked the second-largest figure, following $49.73 billion set in June this year. The figure remained above the $40 billion mark for the third consecutive month. In July, it stood at $42 billion. Over the January-August period, the current account surplus totaled $279.2 billion, nearly quadrupling from the same period a year earlier. The BOK said the goods account posted a surplus of $46.81 billion in August, as exports shot up 82.1 percent on-year to $104.8 billion in the month, while imports rose 23.8 percent to $57.99 billion. Exports of chips more than tripled on a customs-clearance basis, while those of petroleum products gained 64.9 percent, the BOK report showed. Outbound shipme