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3h ago

South Korea’s Exports Reach 42-Month High as Record Chip Sales Lift September

Talks to cut U.S. tariffs are reported stalled, leaving U.S.-bound shipments weaker despite a quarterly export record.

Shipping containers are seen at Pyeongtaek port in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, April 15, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
South Korea exported a record $16.6 billion worth of semiconductors in September, driven by demand for high-value memory such as HBM chips used in AI servers
In this file photo taken July 31, 2025, containers wait to be shipped at a port in Busan, about 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
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Overview

  • September exports rose 12.7% year over year to $65.95 billion, the highest monthly total since March 2022, and third‑quarter exports hit a record $185.03 billion.
  • Semiconductor shipments climbed 22% to about $16.6 billion, setting a new monthly record on strong demand for high‑value memory used in AI servers.
  • Auto exports increased roughly 17% to $6.4 billion, a record for September, with additional gains in ships and machinery.
  • By market, exports grew to China, the EU and ASEAN, while sales to the United States fell 1.4% as tariff measures weighed on key categories.
  • Reuters reports that talks to formalise a July framework to cap some U.S. tariffs at 15% in return for Korean investment have stalled over foreign‑exchange concerns, and media accounts conflict on September import and trade‑surplus figures.