Fueled by growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) servers, information and communications technology (ICT) exports last month hit the highest July on record.
According to "ICT export and import trends in July 2026," which the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources released on the 14th, ICT exports last month were $53.36 billion, up 140.6% from a year earlier. Topping $50 billion for the second straight month, they accounted for 54% of total exports of $98.89 billion. The ICT export share has topped half for three consecutive months.
Semiconductors drove the performance. Semiconductor exports rose 178.8% to $41.02 billion, increasing for 17 straight months. The triple-digit growth rate from a year earlier continued for the seventh month. Expanded supply of memory used in AI inference servers and corporate solid-state drives (SSD) had an impact.
Computer and peripheral exports also surged 353.9% to $4.94 billion, growing for nine straight months. Of this, SSD exports rose 500.2% to $4.51 billion. Displays recorded $1.77 billion, up 0.5%, on demand for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels for smartphones and TVs to be launched in the second half.
Mobile phone exports climbed 62.6% to $1.55 billion as sales of new and high-spec models increased. Telecommunications equipment also rose 18.7% to $240 million on strong sales of wireless communication devices for Vietnam and in-vehicle electronics for India.
During the same period, ICT imports increased 37.3% to $18.3 billion. As a result, the ICT trade balance posted a surplus of $35.06 billion, extending a streak of $30 billion–range surpluses to three months.