AI News Feed
Market watch
Vietnam-Linked APIS Leak Exposed 220 Million Traveler RecordsAnthropic's 'Pace the Frontier' Call Draws OpenAI, xAI and Microsoft SupportApplied Materials VP Says Display-Capable AI Glasses Could Become Mainstream Middle GroundSouth Korea’s ICT Exports Hit Record High on Sustained AI InvestmentPrediction Markets Get More Professional, and Harder to BeatZhipu Unveils GLM-6.0 'Fully Self-Training' Plan in HK$39.3 Billion Financing Filing
Vietnam-Linked APIS Leak Exposed 220 Million Traveler RecordsAnthropic's 'Pace the Frontier' Call Draws OpenAI, xAI and Microsoft SupportApplied Materials VP Says Display-Capable AI Glasses Could Become Mainstream Middle GroundSouth Korea’s ICT Exports Hit Record High on Sustained AI InvestmentPrediction Markets Get More Professional, and Harder to BeatZhipu Unveils GLM-6.0 'Fully Self-Training' Plan in HK$39.3 Billion Financing Filing
AI Chips & Compute

South Korea’s ICT Exports Hit Record High on Sustained AI Investment

South Korea’s ICT exports reached a record US$59.98 billion in August, up 162.6 percent year on year, as global AI infrastructure spending drove semiconductor shipments and the sector posted its first surplus above US$40 billion.

AI News Feed · 2026-09-14 11:47

The ministry said ICT products accounted for more than 60 percent of South Korea’s total exports in the month for the first time. ICT imports rose 48.8 percent on-year to US$18.61 billion, producing a trade surplus of US$41.37 billion. It was the first time the country’s ICT surplus exceeded US$40 billion.

Semiconductor exports surged 209 percent on-year to US$46.67 billion, the data showed, as demand tied to AI infrastructure continued amid expanded investment by global big-tech companies. Exports of computers and communications equipment jumped 383.1 percent to US$6.4 billion, while mobile phone shipments increased 23.2 percent to US$1.64 billion.

Display panel exports fell 7 percent to US$1.69 billion. The ministry said companies faced pressure to lower costs because memory prices rose.

By destination, combined shipments to China and Hong Kong rose 227.9 percent, and exports to the United States climbed 306.5 percent. Shipments to Vietnam increased 81.4 percent, those to the European Union rose 49.1 percent, and exports to India advanced 126.7 percent.

Editor's Summary

South Korea’s ICT exports hit a record US$59.98 billion in August, driven by AI-related semiconductor demand that lifted chip shipments 209 percent. The sector posted a US$41.37 billion surplus, its first above US$40 billion, while exports rose sharply to the United States, China and Hong Kong, Vietnam, the European Union and India.