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South Korean Non-Financial Firms' Sales Rise 13.5% in Q1

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Sales at South Korea's non-financial companies rose 13.5% in the first quarter of 2026 from the previous quarter, according to data released Tuesday by the Bank of Korea.

The pace of growth was sharper than the 2.5% expansion recorded between Q3 and Q4 2025.

Total assets increased 4.7% from a year earlier, also faster than the 1.4% anual growth in Q4 2025.

Profitability improved during the quarter, with the operating income-to-sales ratio rising to 13.2% from 6.0% a year earlier.

The income-before-taxes-to-sales ratio increased to 15.4% from 7.7%.

Financial stability indicators also strengthened, as the debt-to-equity ratio declined to 87% from 88.9% in the previous quarter.

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