South Korea’s fiscal balance improves in the first nine months of 2026 compared with the same period the year before, the Ministry of Planning and Budget says. The managed fiscal balance—a stricter measure of fiscal health—shows a deficit of 32 trillion won as of end-September, improving by 70.5 trillion won from a year earlier.
The improvement is attributed to higher revenues during January–September. The government reports tax revenue reaching 385 trillion won, up 95.4 trillion won year-on-year, with corporate tax receipts rising by 51.9 trillion won on the back of strong earnings by domestic companies. Income tax revenue also increases, supported by bonuses paid by domestic companies and higher housing transaction activity.
Across the reporting, expenditures remain higher than the prior year. Total government spending is 584.9 trillion won for the nine-month period, up 40.7 trillion won. One outlet’s coverage is a detailed version of the same core briefing, while others carry essentially the same headline and summary framing.
