South Korea’s exports soared in March, exceeding $80 billion for the first time ever, fueled by record semiconductor shipments. According to government data released Wednesday, the nation’s outbound shipments experienced a significant surge, jumping nearly 50 percent compared to the same period last year.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources reported that total outbound shipments reached $86.13 billion in March, marking a substantial 48.3 percent year-over-year increase.
This figure also represents a considerable leap from the previous monthly high of $69.5 billion recorded in December 2025.
Imports also saw an increase, rising 13.2 percent year-on-year to $60.4 billion in March, resulting in a substantial trade surplus of $25.74 billion.
Leading the export surge was the semiconductor sector, with exports skyrocketing 151.4 percent year-on-year to an unprecedented $32.83 billion in March, surpassing the $30 billion mark for the first time.
The ministry attributed the strong performance of the chip industry to elevated memory chip prices and sustained global demand driven by significant investments in artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.
Automobile exports also contributed to the positive trend, increasing 2.2 percent year-on-year to $6.37 billion. Robust demand for eco-friendly vehicles, including electric vehicles and hybrid cars, helped to mitigate shipment disruptions caused by the Middle Eastern crisis.
Exports of petroleum products witnessed a significant surge of 54.9 percent, reaching $5.1 billion in March, as prices rose sharply in response to increasing global oil prices triggered by the Iran war.
However, following the government’s implementation of export restrictions on fuel items, such as gasoline and diesel, on March 13, shipments of gasoline and diesel experienced declines of 5 percent and 11 percent, respectively, compared to the same period last year, according to the ministry.
Breaking down the export destinations, exports to China surged 64 percent year-on-year to $16.5 billion in March, marking the fifth consecutive month of growth. This increase was driven by strong demand for semiconductors, petrochemical products, machinery, and computers.
Exports to the United States advanced 47.1 percent to $16.34 billion, fueled by strong demand for chips and computers.
Shipments to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) expanded 34.3 percent to $13.75 billion, while shipments to the European Union (EU) increased 19.3 percent to $7.47 billion.
