South Korea’s ICT Exports Hit Record High on Strong Semiconductor Demand
South Korea’s exports of information and communications technology (ICT) products rose to a record monthly high in November, driven by surging global demand for semiconductors, government data showed on Sunday.
According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, ICT shipments jumped 24.3 per cent year on year to USD 25.45 billion, extending an upward trend that has continued since February. The figure surpassed the previous record of USD 25.40 billion set in September.
Semiconductors led the growth, with chip exports surging 38.6 per cent to a new high of USD 17.27 billion. The rise was fuelled by strong demand for high-end products such as DDR5 and high-bandwidth memory (HBM), widely used in generative artificial intelligence chipsets.
Exports of display panels declined 3.7 per cent to USD 1.60 billion, while mobile phone shipments increased 3.5 per cent to USD 1.50 billion. Exports of computers and peripherals rose 1.9 per cent to USD 1.52 billion, and communications equipment exports climbed 3.3 per cent to USD 200 million.
ICT imports grew 2.7 per cent from a year earlier to USD 12.77 billion in November, resulting in a trade surplus of USD 12.69 billion for the sector. Imports of mobile phones, computers and communications equipment recorded double-digit growth, while those of chips and display panels fell slightly.
