Semiconductor Exports Set New Record Again This Month... $16.5 Billion, Up 270% (Update)

Korea Customs Service Releases Export and Import Performance for September 1-10
Total Exports Reach $35.0 Billion, Up 82.6% Year-on-Year

In September, semiconductor exports once again reached a record high. From the beginning of the month to the 10th, Korea exported goods worth $16.5 billion, leading the overall increase in exports.

According to the "Export and Import Performance from September 1 to 10" announced by the Korea Customs Service on September 11, the export value reached $35.0 billion, up 82.6% compared to the same period last year. This is the highest figure ever recorded for this period.

Export containers are stacked at Busan Port. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Semiconductor exports also reached an all-time high, driving the growth in overall exports. From September 1 to 10, semiconductor exports amounted to $16.5 billion, a 270.1% increase year-on-year. The proportion of semiconductors in total exports also rose to 47.1%, up 23.9 percentage points. Other items that saw an increase in exports included petroleum products (57.0%), passenger cars (10.0%), ships (66.8%), and steel products (10.3%). Among the top 10 major export items, precision instruments was the only category that experienced a decrease (-4.8%). By country, exports to all of the top 10 major markets rose: China (103.0%), the United States (137.5%), Taiwan (176.0%), Vietnam (42.2%), and the European Union (EU, 38.9%).

As of September 10, imports stood at $24.6 billion, a 20.7% increase compared to the same period last year. Imports of semiconductors (91.5%), crude oil (3.5%), and semiconductor manufacturing equipment (44.8%) rose, while machinery (-2.7%) saw a decrease. Imports from China (50.0%), the United States (17.3%), the EU (6.5%), and Japan (39.8%) increased, while imports from Australia (-0.7%) and Saudi Arabia (-11.7%) decreased.

For the period from September 1 to 10, the trade surplus totaled $10.367 billion. As a result, the cumulative trade surplus from January 1 of this year to date has risen to $212.99 billion.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.