South Korea’s exports reached a historic high of $709.7 billion in 2025, crossing the $700 billion mark for the first time, according to official government data released on Thursday.
The figure marks a 3.8 percent increase from the previous year and reflects strong global demand for key Korean products.
The surge was largely driven by semiconductors, with chip exports jumping 22.2 percent year-on-year to a record $173.4 billion. Officials said rising demand from artificial intelligence data centers sharply pushed up memory chip prices, boosting overall export value.
Imports edged down slightly by 0.02 percent to $631.7 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $78 billion. This was South Korea’s largest trade surplus since 2017, highlighting improving trade conditions despite global economic uncertainty.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said exports were supported by strong performance in major sectors such as semiconductors, automobiles, and shipbuilding. At the same time, smaller industries, including agro-fisheries and cosmetics, also showed steady growth.
Car exports rose 1.7 percent to a record $72 billion, even as U.S. tariff measures affected shipments. Ship exports climbed sharply by 24.9 percent to $32 billion, while computer exports increased 4.5 percent to $13.8 billion. Biohealth exports grew 7.9 percent to $16.3 billion.
Exports of agro-fisheries products increased 6 percent to $12.4 billion, while cosmetics exports surged 11.8 percent to $11.4 billion, driven by the global popularity of Korean culture. In contrast, petrochemical and steel exports declined due to global oversupply.
By destination, exports to the United States fell 3.8 percent to $122.9 billion as shipments of automobiles, machinery and auto parts weakened under tariff pressure. South Korea’s trade surplus with the U.S. also narrowed compared to the previous year.
Exports to China slipped 1.7 percent to $130.8 billion amid weaker demand for petrochemical products and machinery. Meanwhile, shipments to ASEAN countries rose 7.4 percent to $122.5 billion, led by strong semiconductor exports. Exports to the European Union grew 3 percent to $70.1 billion, supported by demand for automobiles and ships.
Shipments to the Commonwealth of Independent States jumped 18.6 percent to $13.7 billion, while exports to India rose 2.9 percent to a record $19.2 billion. Exports to the Middle East increased for the fifth consecutive year, and shipments to Latin America also posted solid gains.
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In December, exports climbed 13.4 percent from a year earlier to $69.6 billion, extending the growth streak to 11 straight months. Imports rose 4.6 percent to $57.4 billion, resulting in a monthly trade surplus of $12.2 billion, the ministry said.
