In brief
South Korea’s October export total jumped to $115.3 billion, a 93.7 % increase from a year earlier, setting a new record. The boom was led by a 259 % surge in semiconductor exports, alongside strong demand for electronics, petroleum, cosmetics, and automobiles from China and the United States. The trade surplus rose to $42.5 billion, with imports up 36 % to $72.78 billion.
On Sunday, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources announced that South Korea’s exports totaled $115.3 billion in October, a 93.7 % jump from a year earlier, WAM reported. Xinhua confirmed the same figures, noting that the record export level set October’s total just behind a $121.1 billion September high.
Both outlets highlighted that the surge was dominated by a 259 % increase in semiconductor shipments, which rose to $56.4 billion. The spike came amid conditions of robust global demand and continued investment by major technology companies in AI infrastructure.
Other exports saw significant rises: petroleum products jumped 80 % to $6.92 billion; petrochemical products rose 27.5 % to $4 billion; cosmetics exports surged 57.5 % to $1.44 billion; and automobile exports grew 18.1 % to $6.55 billion, driven by demand for gasoline‑hybrid models.
Destinations also reflected strong demand: exports to China climbed 133.6 % to $26.98 billion, topping $20 billion for the fifth straight month; shipments to the United States surged 185.8 % to $24.9 billion, buoyed by semiconductor, computer, and electrical equipment exports.
Imports rose 36 % to $72.78 billion, giving the country a trade surplus of $42.5 billion, WAM and Xinhua reported. The Ministry’s data show that for the first nine months of 2026, cumulative exports had reached $930 billion, putting South Korea on track to surpass $1 trillion annually by November.
