SOUTH KOREA TO RECORD A $1 TRILLION TRADE SURPLUS IN 2026
South Korea'sMinistry of Trade, Industry and Energy, monthly exports surged 83.5% YoY to an all-time record of $120.94 billion, driven by explosive Al-related memory demand.
Semiconductor Performance:
Semiconductor shipments surged 262.8% YoY to a record $60.30 billion, accounting for 49.9% of the nation's total monthly exports.
Trade Balance:
Imports grew 26.0% YoY to $71.09 billion, yielding a record monthly trade surplus of $49.85 billion and extending the surplus streak to 20 consecutive month
Cumulative Milestone:
Total exports from January through September reached $814.5 billion (+56.8% YoY), surpassing the previous full-year record of $709.3 billion set in 2025 and putting the country on track to top $1 trillion for the full year.
Geographic Demand:
Shipments to the U.S. and China more than doubled, reaching $24.33 billion and $26.01 billion, respectively.