South Korea logged a current account surplus for the third straight month in July on the back of a widened trade surplus and dividend payments from overseas, central bank data showed Friday.

The country's current account surplus reached $3.58 billion in July, following the surplus of $1.93 billion in May and $5.87 billion in June, according to preliminary data from the Bank of Korea.

July's surplus came as the country's trade balance remained in the black and dividend income increased.

The country's goods account racked up a $4.28 billion surplus in July, following a $3.98 billion surplus the previous month.

The primary income account, which tracks the wages of foreign workers and dividend payments from overseas, reported a surplus of $2.92 billion in July, following a $4.85 billion surplus in June, the data showed.

But the services account suffered an extended loss in July, reaching $2.53 billion, the data showed. (Yonhap)