According to the Ministry of Science and ICT, January exports of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector amounted to $16.29 billion, imports totaled $13.45 billion, and the trade surplus was recorded at $2.83 billion. Due to the long Lunar New Year holiday, the number of working days decreased by four, resulting in a 0.4% decline in exports compared to the same period last year.
Exports of semiconductors increased overall by 7.7%, with memory exports ($6.18 billion) rising by 17.2%, while system semiconductors ($3.48 billion) saw a 4.3% decrease. The growth trend in semiconductor exports has continued for 15 consecutive months.
With increased demand for AI servers and data centers, SSD exports ($640 million) rose by 27.1%, while exports of computers and peripheral devices have increased for 13 consecutive months. In contrast, display exports ($1.26 billion) fell by 16.1% due to sluggish product demand.
Mobile phone exports ($1.01 billion) saw a 12.6% increase in exports to China; however, overall exports decreased by 8.8% due to sluggishness in other regions like Vietnam. Likewise, telecommunications equipment exports ($16 million) also declined by 20.9% in major markets excluding the United States.