South Korea posted a current account surplus for the ninth straight month in January on the back of recovery in exports despite the COVID-19 pandemic. 

According to the tentative data by the Bank of Korea on Tuesday, the country's current account surplus reached seven-point-06 billion U.S. dollars in January, up six-point-48 billion dollars from a year earlier. 

The current account has been in the black for nine straight months since the country logged a deficit of three-point-33 billion dollars in April of last year. 

The goods balance marked a surplus of five-point-73 billion dollars in January, up three-point-six billion dollars on-year.

Exports increased by nine percent on-year to 46-point-six billion dollars, while imports edged up point-five percent on-year to 40-point-nine billion dollars.   

The service account deficit narrowed by two-point-38 billion dollars on-year to 610 million dollars in January.