Globale KI-Nachfrage: Rekord bei Halbleitern treibt Südkoreas Exporte an
Halbleiter machen mittlerweile fast die Hälfte aller südkoreanischen Exporte aus. Der Erfolg des ostasiatischen Tigerstaates offenbart auch die zunehmende Abhängigkeit vom globalen KI-Boom.
Seoul - South Korea's exports surged 68.7% in August compared to the same month last year, according to data from the country's Ministry of Trade. The surge was driven by a 209% increase in semiconductor exports, which reached a record $46.7 billion. Semiconductors now account for nearly half (47.5%) of South Korea's total exports.
In contrast, imports grew by a more modest 22.6% compared to August 2025. Despite this, South Korea still achieved a trade surplus of nearly $34.8 billion for the month, the second-highest ever recorded. The nation benefits significantly from global demand for AI infrastructure, hosting two of the world's leading producers of memory chips: Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.
This development also highlights the country's reliance on these exports. Should there be a significant market correction in the AI sector, South Korea could be particularly affected. Additionally, the AI boom masks the uneven development of various sectors within the South Korean economy. For example, auto exports fell nearly 30% in August.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
