South Korea Export Growth Hits 14-Month High

2025-10-01 00:18 By Chusnul Chotimah 1 min. read

Exports from South Korea surged 12.7% year-on-year to a record high of USD 65.95 billion in September 2025, sharply accelerating from a downwardly revised 1.2% increase in the previous month and far exceeding market expectations of a 7.2% gain, preliminary data showed.

It was the strongest export growth since July 2024, driven by robust demand for semiconductors—the country’s top export item—which soared 22.0% year-on-year to a record USD 16.6 billion.

Exports of cars rose 16.8%, while shipments of ships jumped 21.9%.

Exports to China, South Korea’s largest trading partner, edged up 0.5%, marking the first increase in five months.

Outbound shipments also grew significantly to the ASEAN region (+17.8%) and the EU (+19.3%).

By contrast, exports to the US declined 1.4%, weighed down by the impact of Trump tariffs.

At the end of July, the US announced a deal to impose a 15% tariff on South Korean goods starting in August, while tariffs on automobiles and auto parts remain at 25%.



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