South Korea Export Inflation at 28-Year High

2026-06-15 21:54 By Isabela Couto 1 min. read

South Korea’s export prices surged 46.9% year-on-year in May 2026, the largest increase since March 1998 during the foreign exchange crisis.

The rise was largely driven by strong demand for semiconductors, a key South Korean export, amid the global artificial intelligence boom.

Among major categories, prices for manufactured goods climbed 46.9%, with computers, electronic and optical equipment soaring 104%.

Prices also increased for coal and petroleum products (88.6%), basic metal products (31.6%), and chemical products (28.3%).

Meanwhile, prices for agricultural, forestry, and marine products rose 32.4%.

On a monthly basis, export prices edged up 0.3%.

South Korea’s net barter terms of trade index, which compares export and import price growth, rose 18.7%, its second-highest reading on record after March’s 22.8%.

Despite higher oil prices, the index increased sharply as soaring semiconductor prices more than offset rising import costs.



News Stream
South Korea Export Prices Jump in June
South Korea's export prices surged 48.9% year-on-year in June 2026, marking the largest increase since 1998 during the Asian financial crisis. Among the major categories, prices for manufactured goods climbed 48.9%, with computers, electronic and optical equipment soaring 117.4%. Prices also increased for coal and petroleum products (56.1%), basic metal products (34.3%), and chemical products (28.4%). Meanwhile, prices for agricultural, forestry, and marine products rose 40.5%. On a monthly basis, the Export Price Index was unchanged in June. South Korea's net barter terms of trade index, which compares export and import price growth, rose 15.6% year-on-year. The Export Volume Index increased 29.8%, while the Export Value Index surged 74.8%.
2026-07-14
South Korea Export Inflation at 28-Year High
South Korea’s export prices surged 46.9% year-on-year in May 2026, the largest increase since March 1998 during the foreign exchange crisis. The rise was largely driven by strong demand for semiconductors, a key South Korean export, amid the global artificial intelligence boom. Among major categories, prices for manufactured goods climbed 46.9%, with computers, electronic and optical equipment soaring 104%. Prices also increased for coal and petroleum products (88.6%), basic metal products (31.6%), and chemical products (28.3%). Meanwhile, prices for agricultural, forestry, and marine products rose 32.4%. On a monthly basis, export prices edged up 0.3%. South Korea’s net barter terms of trade index, which compares export and import price growth, rose 18.7%, its second-highest reading on record after March’s 22.8%. Despite higher oil prices, the index increased sharply as soaring semiconductor prices more than offset rising import costs.
2026-06-15
South Korea Export Prices Post Biggest Jump Since 1998
South Korea’s export prices surged 40.8% year-on-year in April 2026, the largest since 1998, and accelerating from a 29.5% increase in March, reflecting intensifying price pressures across the country’s external sector. The increase was mainly driven by manufactured goods, which rose 40.9%, with computers, electronic and optical equipment surging 88.7%, standing out as the key contributor to overall gains. Additional support came from coal and petroleum products (101.8%), basic metals (24.8%) and chemical products (21.9%), highlighting broad-based strength across major industrial export categories. Prices for agricultural, forestry and marine products also increased 28.5%.
2026-05-14