The ABC audit pegged the weekly title's circulation at 100,011 in the first half of this year, up 3.3 per cent compared with the same period last year.
Advertisement manager for North Asia, Rupert Harrow, said the number had been rising consistently over the past decade in line with the magazine's focus on editorial and circulation. Peter Bakker, The Economist's regional circulation director, said strong gains were made in Korea, up 70 per cent to 7,700 copies, and Australia, which was 13 per cent higher at 17,200.
The magazine's major markets of Hong Kong and Singapore remained stable.
"Korea was the high point for us. We had a concerted effort to drive subscriptions higher, including a dual English- and Korean-language mail pack with a Korean return form," he said.
Meanwhile, The Economist's global circulation rose almost four per cent to over 902,000. All markets, except Latin America, saw gains.