Korean businesses posted higher sales growth and improved profitability in the second quarter of 2026, led mainly by chipmakers and petrochemical firms, Bank of Korea data showed Wednesday. Corporate sales surged 26.7 percent on-quarter in April-June, up from 13.5 percent in the previous quarter. Manufacturers recorded 39.6 percent sales growth, while non-manufacturing sales rose 9.7 percent. The operating profit-to-sales ratio increased to 16.9 percent, and the debt-to-equity ratio fell to 84.5 percent.
Containers are stacked at a port in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Sunday. Yonhap
Korean businesses posted higher sales growth and improved profitability in the second quarter of 2026, led mainly by chipmakers and petrochemical firms, central bank data showed Wednesday.
Corporate sales surged 26.7 percent on-quarter in the April-June period, compared with a 13.5 percent increase in the previous quarter, according to data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).
The findings are based on a review of 26,509 companies subject to external audits.
