South Korea’s Exports Reach Record High of $709.7 Billion

Seoul: South Korean government data released Thursday showed that the country's exports reached a record high of $709.7 billion last year. According to Yemen News Agency, Industry and Resources, exports increased by 3.8 percent year-on-year last year, driven by a 22.2 percent year-on-year surge in semiconductor exports, which reached a record high of $173.4 billion, fueled by growth in artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, imports declined by 0.02 percent year-on-year to $631.7 billion in 2025, resulting in the largest trade surplus since 2017, at $78 billion. The ministry attributed the record-breaking export performance last year to the strong performance of key export commodities, including semiconductors, automobiles, and ships, as well as the growth of small industries, including agricultural and fishery products and cosmetics.