South Korea's Exports Surge to Record-High
Exports — the backbone of an economy where they represent roughly half of all economic output — catapulted 48.3 percent year-on-year to 86.13 billion U.S. dollars last month, eclipsing the prior record of 69.5 billion dollars set just three months earlier in December 2025, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resource confirmed. The daily average export rate also broke new ground, vaulting 41.9 percent to 3.74 billion dollars.
On the import side, inbound shipments rose 13.2 percent to 60.40 billion dollars, yielding a trade surplus of 25.74 billion dollars for the month.
Chips Lead a Broad-Based Export Rally
Of South Korea's 15 principal export categories, 10 recorded outbound growth — with semiconductors delivering the most dramatic result. Chip exports exploded 151.4 percent to a record 32.83 billion dollars, surpassing the 30-billion-dollar threshold for the first time in history. The milestone was underpinned by accelerating global investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure and a corresponding spike in memory chip prices.
Computer shipments were another standout, surging 189.2 percent to 3.42 billion dollars on firm demand for solid-state drives — marking the sixth consecutive month of growth in the category.
Mobile phone exports advanced 43.5 percent to 1.79 billion dollars, though display panel shipments slipped 1.5 percent to 1.44 billion dollars.
Autos, Ships, and Energy Shine; Machinery Lags
The automotive sector posted a 2.2 percent gain to 6.37 billion dollars, buoyed by resilient appetite for eco-friendly vehicles, even as auto parts exports edged down 2.4 percent to 1.80 billion dollars. Shipbuilding exports jumped 10.7 percent to 3.52 billion dollars, while general machinery shipments contracted 6.3 percent to 3.88 billion dollars.
Petroleum product exports surged 54.9 percent to 5.10 billion dollars, reflecting elevated crude prices amid ongoing Middle East tensions. South Korea's benchmark crude — Dubai — averaged 128.5 dollars per barrel in March, a 77.3 percent increase versus the same period in 2025. Petrochemicals climbed 5.8 percent to 3.87 billion dollars, while steel product exports fell 2.2 percent to 2.51 billion dollars.
Home appliance shipments retreated in single digits, though secondary battery exports registered a double-digit expansion.
U.S. and Asia Drive Destination Growth
Geographically, exports to the United States surged 47.1 percent to 16.34 billion dollars, driven overwhelmingly by semiconductor orders. Shipments to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) swelled 34.3 percent to 13.75 billion dollars, while exports to the European Union (EU) grew 19.3 percent to 7.47 billion dollars.
Japan absorbed 2.74 billion dollars in South Korean goods — a 26.8 percent jump — as exports to Latin America and India each climbed double digits, reaching 3.08 billion dollars and 1.96 billion dollars, respectively.
Energy Imports Decline; Tech Imports Expand
On the import front, combined purchases of the three major energy sources — crude oil, natural gas, and coal — contracted 7.0 percent to 9.37 billion dollars. Non-energy imports, however, expanded 17.9 percent to 51.02 billion dollars, driven by heightened demand for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, chips, and mobile handsets.
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