Korea posts record $68.5bn exports in January

Feb 02, 2026, 07:58 am

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/ Yonhap

South Korea’s exports surpassed $60 billion for the first time in January, driven by a strong rebound in semiconductors led by memory chips, government data showed Saturday.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, exports in January totaled $68.55 billion, up 33.9 percent from a year earlier, marking the highest January figure on record. The ministry said exports have now set record highs for the month for eight consecutive months.

Imports rose 11.7 percent year-on-year to $57.11 billion during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of $8.74 billion — the largest ever recorded for January. Average daily exports, adjusted for the number of working days, reached $2.8 billion, up 14 percent from a year earlier.

Among the country’s 15 major export items, 13 posted growth. Semiconductor exports surged 102.7 percent from a year earlier to $20.54 billion, exceeding $20 billion for the second consecutive month. This marked the second-highest monthly figure on record and the highest January performance for the sector for 10 straight months.

Automobile exports rose 21.7 percent to $6.07 billion, recording the second-highest January figure ever. The strong performance was attributed to an increase in working days, as the Lunar New Year holiday shifted from January last year to February this year, as well as rising exports of eco-friendly vehicles such as hybrids and electric vehicles.

Exports of petroleum products increased 8.5 percent to $3.74 billion, while general machinery shipments rose 8.9 percent to $3.69 billion.

IT and advanced technology products also showed broad-based growth. Exports of wireless communication devices climbed 66.9 percent to $2.03 billion, computers surged 89.2 percent to $1.55 billion, displays rose 26.1 percent to $1.38 billion and biohealth products increased 18.3 percent to $1.35 billion.

#South Korea exports #January exports #semiconductors #Ministry of Trade Industry and Energy #trade surplus