South Korea’s exports reached a record $120.9 billion in September, driven by a sharp increase in semiconductor shipments as global demand for AI infrastructure continues to expand.

South Korea’s exports surged 83.5% year over year to $120.94 billion in September, marking the country’s first monthly export total above $120 billion, according to data released by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources on October 1.

The jump was largely driven by semiconductors. Semiconductor exports rose 262.8% from a year earlier to a record $60.3 billion, crossing the $60 billion mark for the first time. Stronger shipments and rising prices for memory products contributed to the increase.

AI demand drives semiconductor exports

The semiconductor boom is closely linked to the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure. AI data centers require large quantities of high-performance computing chips and memory, increasing demand for products supplied by South Korean manufacturers.

South Korea’s computer exports also reflected this trend, rising 435.3% year over year to $7 billion. The trade ministry attributed the increase partly to expanding adoption of agentic AI and growing demand for AI infrastructure.

The latest figures show how the global AI investment cycle is increasingly feeding into physical manufacturing and international trade. South Korea is one of the world’s major suppliers of memory semiconductors, making its exports particularly sensitive to changes in global demand for computing infrastructure.

South Korea’s trade surplus hits a record

Imports increased 26% year over year to $71.09 billion in September. Even with the rise in imports, the much faster growth in exports produced a record trade surplus of $49.85 billion.

The export increase was not limited entirely to semiconductors. Petroleum product exports rose 72% to $7.22 billion, while ship exports increased by about 30%. Cosmetics exports also rose 31.4%.

However, performance varied across industries. Automobile exports declined 5.5% to $6.05 billion, while some other manufactured goods also recorded declines.

Exports to the US and China also jump

South Korea recorded strong growth in shipments to its two largest trading partners.

Exports to China increased 123% to $26 billion, helped by higher semiconductor and wireless communications shipments. Exports to the United States rose 137% to $24.33 billion, supported by demand for semiconductors, petrochemical products and machinery.

The strength of these figures helped South Korea extend its export growth streak to 16 consecutive months.

South Korea moves closer to $1 trillion in annual exports

The September figures have also brought South Korea considerably closer to an important annual milestone.

Exports for the first nine months of 2026 reached $814.5 billion, already exceeding the country’s full-year 2025 export total of $709.3 billion.

South Korea would need another $185.5 billion in exports during the final three months of the year to reach $1 trillion for the first time.

Whether that threshold is reached will depend on the strength of global semiconductor demand and broader international trade conditions in the final quarter. South Korean officials have also pointed to risks from global protectionism and geopolitical uncertainty.

For now, the September data underline the increasingly important role of semiconductors in South Korea’s export economy—and the extent to which the global AI infrastructure boom is creating demand across the technology supply chain.