Exports for Sept. 1–10 reached $35.0 billion, the highest ever for the period. Semiconductor exports rose more than 270%, driving the overall performance.
According to the "Export and import trends for Sept. 1–10 (preliminary)" released by the Korea Customs Service on the 11th, exports on the 1st–10th were tallied at $35.0 billion, up 82.6% from a year earlier.
In particular, the increase in semiconductor exports stood out. Semiconductor exports rose 270.1% to $16.5 billion, the largest ever for the same period. Semiconductors accounted for 47.1% of total exports, up 23.9 percentage points (p) from a year earlier. In addition, petroleum products (57.0%) and passenger cars (10%) increased.
By country, exports increased to China (103.0%), the United States (137.5%), Taiwan (176.0%), Vietnam (42.2%), and the European Union (38.9%). The export share of the top three—China, the United States, and Taiwan—was 51.9%.
Meanwhile, imports for Sept. 1–10 were $24.6 billion, up 20.7%. Imports rose sharply in items such as semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The trade balance, exports minus imports, posted a surplus of $10.4 billion.