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5d ago

South Korea’s April Exports Surge 48% to $85.9 Billion as Chip Boom Powers Trade Surplus

A fresh wave of AI spending is fueling a chip cycle that lifts Korea’s export engine.

A drone view of used cars that are mostly exported to countries in the Middle East remain parked at a used-car export complex in Incheon, South Korea, March 16, 2026. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY/File Photo
Containers are stacked at a port in the southeastern city of Busan on March 31, 2026. (Yonhap)
A port in Pyeongtaek, about 60 kilometers south of Seoul, on April 1, 2026 (Yonhap)
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Overview

  • Official data released Friday put April exports at $85.89 billion, up 48% from a year earlier, with a $23.77 billion trade surplus.
  • Semiconductor shipments jumped 173.5% to $31.9 billion as AI servers drove demand, and computer gear led by solid-state drives rose 515.8% to $4.08 billion.
  • Auto exports fell 5.5% to $6.17 billion as shipping disruptions tied to the Middle East conflict and a shift of Korean car production to the U.S. cut overseas shipments.
  • Petroleum export value rose on higher oil prices, though gasoline, diesel and kerosene volumes plunged after Seoul’s March export limits.
  • Exports to key markets climbed sharply, including China at $17.7 billion up 62.5%, the United States at $16.33 billion up 54%, and ASEAN at $15.41 billion up 64%.