S. Korea's exports hit record high in Q1 on strong chip performance

industry ministry-exports

S. Korea's exports hit record high in Q1 on strong chip performance

SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports hit a record high in the first quarter of 2026, driven by the strong growth of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers worldwide, the industry ministry said Wednesday.

Outbound shipments for the January-March period came to US$219.9 billion, up 37.8 percent from the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. It marked the highest quarterly export figure on record.

Semiconductor exports were a key driver, spiking 139 percent on-year to $78.5 billion during the period as AI-related server investment surged.

Within semiconductors, exports of dynamic random access memory jumped 249.1 percent on-year to $35.79 billion, while NAND flash chips surged 377.5 percent on-year to $5.39 billion.

"Semiconductor prices are expected to remain high, so exports in May are also likely to remain strong," Na Sung-hwa, a ministry official, said. "However, the Middle East conflict is an increasingly important variable, and it could pose obstacles in multiple ways."

Automobile exports edged down 0.3 percent to $17.2 billion, while shipments of trucks rose 63.9 percent to $710 million.

Biopharmaceutical exports reached $4.2 billion, up 9.6 percent from a year earlier, while outbound shipment of textiles rose 7.1 percent to $1 billion, fueled by growing demand for Korean fashion brands.

Secondary battery exports increased 9.9 percent on-year to $1.96 billion, driven by higher lithium-ion battery shipments, which rose 16.9 percent.

This file April 1, 2026, file photo shows a port in Pyeongtaek, about 60 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)