S. Korea's exports jump 34 pct in Jan. thanks to robust demand for semiconductors
Exports jumped 33.9 percent from a year earlier in January to over US$65 billion, driven by strong demand for semiconductors on artificial intelligence servers, government data showed Sunday, Yonhap reports.
Outbound shipments came to $65.85 billion last month, the highest for any January, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources.
It marked the first time South Korea's January exports surpassed $600 billion.
Imports gained 11.7 percent on-year to $57.1 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $8.74 billion. It was the 12th consecutive month the country saw a trade surplus.
Last year, Korea's outbound shipments topped $700 billion for the first time on the back of the strong performance of key export items, such as semiconductors, automobiles and ships.
In January, semiconductor exports reached $20.54 billion, surging 102.7 percent from a year earlier, on a continued increase in memory chip prices fueled by high demand for artificial intelligence (AI) servers.
Car exports climbed 21.7 percent on-year to $6.07 billion last month, thanks to an increase in the number of working days and robust sales of eco-friendly vehicles.
Exports of wireless communication devices, including mobile phones, soared 66.9 percent to $2.03 billion, extending the winning streak to the third consecutive month, while computer exports jumped 89.2 percent to $1.55 billion, rising for the fourth straight month.
Shipments of petroleum products rose 8.5 percent to $3.52 billion, and those of biohealth products expanded 18.3 percent to $1.35 billion.
Exports of agro-fisheries products and cosmetics also went up 19.3 percent and 36.4 percent, respectively, to $1.02 billion and 1.03 billion, the highest figures for any January.
It was reported, Japan trade deficit halved in 2025 despite fall in U.S.-bound exports.
