Robust chip demand boosts Korean exports in May

SEOUL, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 11th May, 2026) The Republic of Korea's exports jumped 43.7 percent from a year earlier in the first 10 days of May, driven by strong overseas demand for semiconductors, data showed Monday.

Outbound shipments reached US$18.4 billion in the 1st to 10th May period, compared with $12.8 billion tallied in the same period last year, Yonhap news Agency reported, citing data from the Korea Customs Service.

It marked the country's largest exports recorded for the cited period, according to the agency.

Imports went up 14.9 percent on-year to $16.7 billion over the cited period, resulting in a trade surplus of $1.7 billion, the latest data showed.

By item, exports of semiconductors surged 149.8 percent on-year to a record high of $8.54 billion on a continued increase in memory chip prices, fuelled by high demand for artificial intelligence servers.

The figure marked the highest amount ever recorded for the first 10 days of May.