South Korea’s exports rose by 14.9% in the initial 20 days of January compared to the same period last year, hitting $36.36 billion. The surge was mainly fueled by a robust demand for semiconductors, as per data from the Korea Customs Service.
During this period, imports also saw a 4.2% increase, reaching $36.98 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $600 million. The daily average export volume grew by 14.9% year-on-year, with no change in the number of working days.
Semiconductor exports notably spiked by 70.2% to $10.73 billion, constituting 29.5% of the total exports. Meanwhile, exports of petroleum products and steel also saw positive growth, while automobile and vessel exports declined.
Notably, exports to China, South Korea’s primary trading partner, surged by 30.2% to $8.45 billion. Shipments to the United States also increased by 19.3% to $6.66 billion, despite the U.S. administration’s tariff policies.
In December, exports grew by 13.4% year-on-year to $69.6 billion, driven by semiconductor demand. The total outbound shipments for 2025 reached a record high of $709.7 billion.
