Korea’s current account surplus exceeded the combined total of manufacturing powerhouses Germany and Japan in the second quarter of this year for the first time since comparable data for all three countries became available in 1996, data showed Sunday. Booming semiconductor exports have pushed the trade surplus to record highs, while expanding overseas investments have boosted dividend and interest income. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects Korea's current account surplus to rank second globally behind China this year, with the largest increase among 190 countries. However, experts warned that a global slowdown in artificial intelligence (AI) investment or increased supply from rival chip exporters could threaten the gains, highlighting the need to diversify the country's industrial base. According to IMF data compiled by the Bank of Korea (BOK), Korea posted a current account surplus of $116.6 billion in the second quarter, ranking second behind China among 36 major economies for which data was available. Germany ranked third with $52.3 billion, followed by Japan with $50.6