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South Korea's Exports Surge 44.4% on AI-Driven Chip Boom

South Korea's exports soared 44.4% year-on-year in the first ten days of February, reaching $21.39 billion. The surge was powered by a remarkable 137.6% increase in semiconductor exports, fueled by the global AI boom, which accounted for over 31% of total exports. Shipments to China and the United States saw robust growth of 54.1% and 38.5% respectively, despite trade policy concerns. The strong export performance resulted in a trade surplus of $64 million for the period.

Key Points: S. Korea Exports Jump 44.4% on Strong Semiconductor Demand

  • 44.4% export surge in early Feb
  • Chip exports jump 137.6%
  • Trade surplus of $64 million
  • Strong growth to China and US
2 min read

S. Korean exports up 44.4 pc on robust chip demand

South Korea's exports surged 44.4% in early February, driven by a 137.6% boom in semiconductor shipments amid global AI demand.

"Exports of semiconductors surged 137.6 percent on-year to $6.73 billion amid the global artificial intelligence (AI) boom. - Yonhap news agency"

Seoul, Feb 11

South Korea's exports jumped 44.4 per cent from a year earlier in the first 10 days of February, driven by strong demand for semiconductors, data showed on Wednesday.

Outbound shipments reached US$21.39 billion in the Feb. 1-10 period, compared with $14.81 billion tallied a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service, reports Yonhap news agency.

Imports went up 21.1 percent on-year to $20.74 billion during the period, resulting in a trade surplus of $64 million, the data showed.

The daily average volume of exports also advanced 34.8 percent on-year, while the number of working days during the period went up by 0.5 day from a year earlier to 7.5 days.

By item, exports of semiconductors surged 137.6 percent on-year to $6.73 billion amid the global artificial intelligence (AI) boom.

Chip exports accounted for 31.5 percent of the country's total exports over the cited period, up 12.3 percentage points from the same period last year.

Exports of petroleum products jumped 40.1 percent to $1.52 billion.

But automobile exports went down 2.6 percent on-year to $1.35 billion, while shipments of vessels dipped 29 percent to $663 million.

By destination, exports to China, South Korea's top trading partner, soared 54.1 percent on-year to $4.55 billion.

Shipments to the United States jumped 38.5 percent to $3.6 billion despite the tariff scheme by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, the data showed.

In January, exports expanded 33.9 percent from a year earlier to $65.85 billion on strong demand for semiconductors.

Meanwhile, South Korean stocks traded higher late on Wednesday morning, led by gains in auto and bio shares amid institutional buying.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) had added 42.82 points, or 0.81 percent, to 5,344.51 as of 11:20 a.m.

The index opened lower after weaker-than-expected U.S. retail sales data raised concerns over an economic slowdown, while comments from some Federal Reserve officials dampened hopes for interest rate cuts.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Interesting to see the breakdown. Chip exports up 137%! That's the AI effect. But auto and ships are down. Shows how crucial it is to have the right product at the right time. Their trade with China and US both grew significantly despite geopolitical tensions.
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Priya S
South Korea is a great example for India. They focused on R&D and built global champions like Samsung. We have the talent in IT, but need more policy push for hardware manufacturing. The PLI scheme is a good start, but execution is key. 🤞
V
Vikram M
A trade surplus of only $64 million? With such huge export growth, I expected a bigger surplus. Their imports are also up sharply. Maybe raw materials for those chips? Still, their economy seems to be on a solid footing.
R
Rohit P
Good for them! But let's not forget the challenges. The article mentions US tariffs and global economic concerns. Our exports need to be resilient too. We should learn from their success in semiconductors but also their ability to navigate trade wars.
K
Kavya N
The stock market reaction is positive. It shows investor confidence. Hope our Sensex gets similar boosts from our manufacturing and export data. We need more such positive economic stories coming out of India. Focus on value-added exports, not just raw materials.

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