South Korea’s Export Surge Driven by Semiconductor Boom

Seoul: South Korea's exports surged nearly 83 percent on-year in the first 10 days of September, customs data showed Friday, driven by robust semiconductor shipments amid the global artificial intelligence (AI) boom. Outbound shipments reached US$35 billion in the Sept. 1-10 period, according to the numbers released by the Korea Customs Service. The customs agency said exports reached the highest level for the first 10 days of September on record. Imports rose 20.7 percent on-year to $24.6 billion over the cited period, resulting in a trade surplus of $10.4 billion. According to Yonhap News Agency, semiconductors led the overall gains, soaring 270 percent to $16.5 billion, also setting a fresh high for the period. Outbound shipments of petroleum products jumped 57 percent to $1.87 billion, while automobile exports increased 10 percent to $1.7 billion. Exports of ships and steel products also shot up 66.8 percent and 10.3 percent, respectively, the report showed. By destination, exports to China doubled to $ 7.95 billion, while those to the United States increased 137.5 percent to $7 billion. The country's total exports from Jan. 1 through Thursday came to $728.5 billion, climbing 54.1 percent from a year earlier. The trade surplus reached $212.9 billion so far in 2026.