As of early 2026, South Korea's exports have reached $709.4 billion, surpassing the previous year's total of $709.3 billion, according to a report by Reuters citing the country's customs service. The primary factor behind this increase has been the rising demand for chips, spurred by investments in artificial intelligence.
From January to August, semiconductor exports soared by 169.6% compared to the previous year, amounting to $281 billion. This category accounted for 41% of the nation's total overseas shipments. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have particularly benefited from the surge in memory chip prices, which have been exacerbated by the AI boom.