South Korea's current account surplus grew to an eight-month high in May thanks to brisk chip exports

According to preliminary data by the Bank of Korea Thursday, the country's current account surplus came to eight-point-68 billion U.S. dollars in May, up from a surplus of five-point-84 billion U.S. dollars in the same month a year ago.

It is the largest monthly figure since September last year when the current account surplus reached 12-point-three billion dollars. 

It also marked the 75th consecutive month that the country has maintained a current account surplus, which started in March 2012.

The goods account surplus increased to a six-month high of eleven-point-39 billion dollars in May as rising global demand for semiconductors buoyed South Korea's overseas sales.

The service account, however, marked a deficit of two-point-09 billion dollars due to a one-point-34 billion dollars deficit in the travel account.