The Wall Street Journal says South Korea's recovery from the economic downturn has been one of the fastest in Asia, specifically in the last two months.

In an article titled "South Korea Surges Toward a Recovery," the Journal included Korean government data that show a smaller-than-expected drop in industrial output for June and a surge in July trade volume. Monthly trade volume in July exceeded 60 billion U.S. dollars for the first time since October. The data showed June retail sales also jumped, helped in part by government incentives for car purchases.

The article said that many of South Korea's best-known companies issued stronger-than-expected corporate profit reports for the second quarter and that global forecasts on Korean economic recovery are being adjusted accordingly.