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S. Korea Exports Reach All-Time High for February
(MENAFN) South Korea's outbound shipments shattered all previous February records, propelled by an extraordinary surge in semiconductor demand tied to the global artificial intelligence boom, official data revealed Sunday.
Total exports climbed 29.0 percent year-on-year to $67.45 billion in February — the strongest performance ever recorded for the month — according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. The daily average export rate rocketed 49.3 percent to $3.55 billion, breaching the $3.0 billion threshold for the first time in history.
Semiconductors led the charge in dramatic fashion, with chip shipments skyrocketing 160.8 percent to a record monthly high of $25.16 billion — topping $20 billion for the third consecutive month. The exceptional performance was underpinned by soaring AI-driven investment and the resulting spike in memory chip prices that followed.
The milestone is especially striking given that only five of South Korea's 15 major export categories posted growth during the period, with activity constrained by fewer working days due to the Lunar New Year holidays.
On the import side, inbound shipments rose a more modest 7.5 percent to $51.94 billion compared to the same month in 2025, delivering a healthy trade surplus of $15.51 billion.
Geographically, demand was broad-based. Exports to the United States jumped 29.9 percent to $12.85 billion, with chip revenues strong enough to absorb the drag from Washington's tariff measures. Shipments to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations swelled 30.4 percent to $12.47 billion, while exports to the European Union advanced 10.3 percent to $5.60 billion.
The results reinforce South Korea's position as a critical node in the global AI supply chain, with its semiconductor industry increasingly central to worldwide technology infrastructure.
Total exports climbed 29.0 percent year-on-year to $67.45 billion in February — the strongest performance ever recorded for the month — according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. The daily average export rate rocketed 49.3 percent to $3.55 billion, breaching the $3.0 billion threshold for the first time in history.
Semiconductors led the charge in dramatic fashion, with chip shipments skyrocketing 160.8 percent to a record monthly high of $25.16 billion — topping $20 billion for the third consecutive month. The exceptional performance was underpinned by soaring AI-driven investment and the resulting spike in memory chip prices that followed.
The milestone is especially striking given that only five of South Korea's 15 major export categories posted growth during the period, with activity constrained by fewer working days due to the Lunar New Year holidays.
On the import side, inbound shipments rose a more modest 7.5 percent to $51.94 billion compared to the same month in 2025, delivering a healthy trade surplus of $15.51 billion.
Geographically, demand was broad-based. Exports to the United States jumped 29.9 percent to $12.85 billion, with chip revenues strong enough to absorb the drag from Washington's tariff measures. Shipments to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations swelled 30.4 percent to $12.47 billion, while exports to the European Union advanced 10.3 percent to $5.60 billion.
The results reinforce South Korea's position as a critical node in the global AI supply chain, with its semiconductor industry increasingly central to worldwide technology infrastructure.
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