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%.

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.

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%.