South Korea hits $100bn monthly exports as chip boom accelerates

Semiconductor shipments drove the milestone, marking the strongest export pace in nearly five decades and signaling sustained demand for memory and logic chips.

By Handelsavisen Newsroom · Automated 2026-07-01 06:35 UTC · 1 min read

South Korea’s exports surged to $100 billion in June, marking the first time the country has reached that monthly threshold in nearly half a century.

The milestone was driven by a sharp acceleration in semiconductor shipments, which have become the primary engine of the nation’s trade recovery.

Official trade data indicates that chip shipments jumped significantly year-on-year, with earlier partial data for June showing outbound shipments rising more than 60%.

The surge in chip exports underscores the continued strength in global demand for memory and logic semiconductors.

Official trade data indicates that chip shipments jumped significantly year-on-year, with earlier partial data for June showing outbound shipments rising more than 60%.

This momentum has helped lift the broader export engine to its most powerful pace since the late 1970s.

For investors, the data reinforces the view that the semiconductor cycle remains robust, supporting revenue outlooks for major South Korean chipmakers.