S. Korea's ICT exports for May hit all-time high amid AI chip demand
Seoul, June 14
South Korea's exports of information and communication technology products posted the highest monthly figure on record in May, driven by demand for semiconductors and other products related to the artificial intelligence ecosystem, data showed on Sunday.
Outbound ICT shipments reached US$47.79 billion last month, a surge of 128.9 percent from $20.88 billion a year earlier, according to the data from the Ministry of Science and ICT, reports Yonhap news agency.
This marks the first time that monthly ICT exports have exceeded the $40 billion mark for three consecutive months, the ministry said.
Imports rose 36 percent on-year to $15.7 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $32.09 billion in the sector.
By product, semiconductor exports soared 169.2 percent on-year to $37.16 billion, supported by continued investments in AI servers as well as an increase in memory chip prices, the ministry said.
Shipments of computers and related equipment more than tripled from a year earlier to $4.33 billion, reflecting rising demand for solid-state drives (SSDs) used in AI data centres.
Smartphone exports also jumped a solid 15.9 percent on-year, while exports of display panels inched up 2.8 percent from a year earlier.
By destination, exports to the United States shot up more than 250 percent to $8.1 billion. Exports to China, including Hong Kong, more than doubled to $19.5 billion, while shipments to Vietnam rose 90.8 percent on-year to $6.8 billion.
Meanwhile, SK hynix added more than 2,000 positions last year amid the global artificial intelligence (AI) boom, which has led to a sharp rise in demand for memory chips, industry sources said on Sunday.
The hiring is noteworthy as it comes amid the overall slowdown in the country's job market.
According to the sources, the number of employees at SK hynix came to 34,549 as of the end of 2025, up 2,159 from a year earlier.
Over the same period, the number of employees at Samsung Electronics Co.'s device solutions division, which covers its chip business, came to 78,064, slightly down from 78,699.
The total chip-related workforce at the two tech giants stood at 112,613 as of the end of last year, up 1,554 from a year earlier.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Specialized workforce growth of 1,554 jobs in two major companies is just a drop in the ocean. Meanwhile, India's IT sector hires thousands fresh grads every year but we're still chasing basic coding jobs rather than cutting-edge chip design. We need a complete overhaul of our tech education.
Notice how South Korea's exports to China and US both doubled – they're playing both sides smartly. India should take notes on how to balance trade relationships. Also, SK hynix adding 2,000 jobs despite market slowdown is commendable. Wish our companies showed similar long-term vision instead of quarterly profit chasing.
The numbers are staggering – nearly $48 billion in a single month! Meanwhile, our IT exports are mostly services. We need to graduate to hardware and chip manufacturing. The upcoming semiconductor plant in Gujarat is a start, but we're years behind SK and Samsung. Need more aggressive policy support.
As an Indian working in the tech sector, I can tell you that the AI hardware boom is real. But we're mostly doing assembly work or low-level testing. We need our own Samsung or SK hynix. Our IT services giants should pivot to building hard infrastructure for AI instead of just software consulting. Time to think big! 🚀
Interesting that memory chip prices are rising – this could hurt Indian consumers and data centers. While exports boom for SK, we might see cost pressures in our own AI startups. Need more domestic production to buffer global price fluctuations. PM Modi's chip initiative is crucial for our digital independence.
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