The nation logged a current account surplus for the ninth consecutive month in January thanks to strong exports of semiconductors and automobiles. 

According to tentative data released by the Bank of Korea(BOK) on Friday, the current account surplus reached three-point-05 billion U.S. dollars, or three-point-99 trillion won, in January.

The current account remained in the black for the ninth straight month in January, but the surplus decreased by over four-point-three billion dollars from a month earlier. 

The goods account also decreased from the previous month, marking four-point-24 billion dollars in January. 

Exports came to 55-point-22 billion dollars in January, up 14-point-seven percent from a year earlier. 

Imports decreased eight-point-one percent year-on-year to 50-point-98 billion dollars in January due to a fall in energy prices and sluggish domestic demand.

The services account deficit widened to one-point-47 billion dollars in January from a shortfall of one-point-34 billion dollars the previous month.