Trade Surplus Tops $23.7 Billion as SSD Demand and Oil Costs Rise
April Exports Hit Record-Breaking $85.9 Billion — Semiconductors and SSDs Drive Gains in U.S. and China Markets (Businesskorea DB)
South Korea’s exports shattered all previous April records, propelled by a global surge in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure investment. Semiconductors and SSDs led the charge, sweeping through markets in both China and the United States.
According to the “Export and Import Trends for April 2026” released by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on May 1, April exports reached $85.89 billion, a 48.0% increase from the same month of the previous year. Imports rose 16.7% to $62.11 billion, and the trade balance posted a surplus of $23.77 billion. South Korea thereby set an unprecedented record, surpassing $80 billion in exports and $20 billion in trade surplus simultaneously for two consecutive months for the first time in history.
The undisputed driver of this achievement is semiconductors. As global AI infrastructure investment expanded, excess demand emerged for both NAND and DRAM, pushing semiconductor exports up a staggering 173.5% year-on-year to $31.9 billion — a record high for the 13th consecutive month on a same-month basis.
The computer (SSD) sector also posted explosive growth of 515.8%, fueled by an eruption in data center demand following the proliferation of AI. Automobile exports, by contrast, fell 5.5% due to maritime logistics disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict and the expansion of local overseas production, though the eco-friendly vehicle segment continued to grow.
Surveying the major export landscape, seven out of nine major regional markets recorded positive growth. In particular, exports to China — South Korea’s largest market — surged 62.5% to $17.7 billion on the back of strong performance in IT products including semiconductors, extending six consecutive months of favorable momentum. Exports to the United States also jumped 54.0% to $16.3 billion. The Middle East, however, posted a sharp decline of 25.1%, as the majority of product categories faltered amid continued port operation disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict.
Imports rose broadly, driven by a combination of a sharp spike in international oil prices stemming from Middle East instability and growing demand for semiconductor equipment.
Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jeong-gwan assessed the results positively, saying “it is thanks to our companies proactively securing supply chains despite the difficult external environment,” while also announcing, “We will strengthen trade financing and export marketing support, and actively assist in securing alternative crude oil supplies in response to growing concerns over heightened volatility, including the Middle East situation and instability in raw material supply and demand.”
Jung Min-hee
댓글
0