Article body
In August, South Korea's exports amounted to $98.25 billion, marking a 68.7% increase compared to the same month last year, and achieving over $90 billion for three consecutive months. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, semiconductor exports surged to $46.65 billion, a 209.0% increase year-on-year, setting a new monthly record. This growth is attributed to increased capital investment by global hyperscalers and rising demand for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.
Computer exports also reached $6.24 billion, up 419.5% from the same month last year, achieving the highest performance on record. The cosmetics and biohealth sectors also saw significant increases of 52.1% and 22.3%, respectively, marking the highest exports for August in history. In contrast, automobile exports fell to $3.85 billion, a decrease of 29.8%, and ship exports also dropped by 45.9%.
By region, exports to China rose to $24.1 billion, a 119.3% increase, while exports to the United States and ASEAN grew by 89.3% and 75.4%, respectively. Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan stated that while semiconductor exports remain strong, other items are also increasing, and he will closely monitor the uncertainties in the trade environment.