{"id":12876,"date":"2026-11-01T03:43:06","date_gmt":"2026-11-01T03:43:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=12876"},"modified":"2026-11-01T03:43:06","modified_gmt":"2026-11-01T03:43:06","slug":"koreas-monthly-exports-hit-115-3-bil-in-oct-on-strong-chip-sales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=12876","title":{"rendered":"Korea’s monthly exports hit $115.3 bil. in Oct. on strong chip sales"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Containers bound for export are stacked at a port in Busan, Oct. 1. Yonhap<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

South Korea’s exports jumped 93.7 percent to a record $115.3 billion in October from a year earlier, driven largely by a sharp increase in semiconductor shipments, data showed Sunday.<\/p>\n

Strong global demand for semiconductors, coupled with continued investments by major technology companies in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, boosted overall exports, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said in a press release.<\/p>\n

Imports rose 36 percent from a year earlier to $72.78 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $42.5 billion.<\/p>\n

Cumulative exports for the January-October period exceeded $900 billion for the first time, with the ministry projecting that the country’s annual exports could reach $1 trillion as early as November if the current trend continues.<\/p>\n

By sector, semiconductor exports, a key pillar of Asia’s fourth-largest economy, skyrocketed 259 percent from a year earlier to $56.4 billion in October, the release said.<\/p>\n

Exports of petroleum products jumped 80 percent to $6.92 billion, while those of petrochemical products rose 27.5 percent to $4 billion.<\/p>\n

Cosmetics exports shot up 57.5 percent to $1.44 billion on rising demand in China, the United States and the European Union.<\/p>\n

Automobile exports gained 18.1 percent to $6.55 billion, driven by increased overseas demand for gasoline hybrid models.<\/p>\n

By destination, exports to China soared 133.6 percent to $26.98 billion, driven by strong shipments of semiconductors and wireless communications equipment.<\/p>\n

Exports to China topped $20 billion for the fifth consecutive month.<\/p>\n

Shipments to the United States surged 185.8 percent to $24.9 billion, supported by robust demand for semiconductors, computers and electrical equipment used in AI infrastructure.<\/p>\n

The monthly report also showed exports to Southeast Asian countries rose 128 percent to $21.33 billion, while those to the European Union increased 56.4 percent to $8.1 billion, with both gains driven by strong shipments of chips and automobiles.<\/p>\n

“The global trade environment remains uncertain, with many small and medium-sized enterprises facing difficulties amid rising protectionism in major economies, shifts in global supply chains and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East,” Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan said.<\/p>\n

To address these challenges, the government will step up trade cooperation with major export partners and work to remove barriers to exports to ease the burden on businesses, he said.<\/p>\n

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Containers bound for export are stacked at a port in Busan, Oct. 1. Yonhap South Korea’s exports jumped 93.7 percent to a record $115.3 billion in October from a year earlier, driven largely by a sharp increase in semiconductor shipments, data showed Sunday. Strong global demand for semiconductors, coupled with continued investments by major technology…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12877,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_templately_pack_id":"","_templately_imported_at":"","_templately_source":"","_templately_import_session_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-korea","category-trending-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t