South Korea’s exports reached $709.7 billion in 2025, marking an increase of 3.8 percent compared to 2024 and recording the highest level ever, according to data released by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and reported by Yonhap News Agency.
The growth was driven mainly by a strong rise in semiconductor exports, amid increasing demand linked to the expansion of artificial intelligence applications. Exports of automobiles and ships also contributed to the overall performance, alongside improved shipments from small and medium-sized industries, including agricultural and fishery products as well as cosmetics.
By product category, semiconductor exports reached a record $173.4 billion, supported by higher average prices for memory chips and sustained demand from artificial intelligence data centers.
Automobile exports rose 1.7 percent year-on-year to $72 billion, despite the impact of U.S. tariffs.
In terms of export destinations, shipments to the United States and China declined in 2025, while exports to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Latin America, and the Commonwealth of Independent States increased.
On the other hand, imports fell 0.2 percent year-on-year to $631.7 billion in 2025, resulting in a trade surplus of $78 billion, the largest since 2017.
