{
  "id": 17505322,
  "title": "Korea's monthly exports hit $115.3 bil. in Oct. on record chip sales",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/01/koreas-monthly-exports-hit-115-3-bil-in-oct-on-record-chip-sales-17505322",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-11-01T01:02:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/economy/20261101/koreas-monthly-exports-hit-1153-bil-in-oct-on-record-chip-sales"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "South Korea's exports surged 93.7 percent in October, reaching a record high of $115.3 billion compared to the previous year, according to data released on Sunday. The significant growth was primarily fueled by a surge in semiconductor shipments, alongside continued investments by major tech firms in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, as stated by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources in a press release. Imports increased by 36 percent year-on-year, amounting to $72.78 billion, which resulted in a substantial trade surplus of $42.5 billion. On a sectoral basis, semiconductor exports, a crucial component of Asia's fourth-largest economy, experienced a dramatic 259 percent increase, reaching $56.4 billion. Petroleum exports jumped by 80 percent to $6.92 billion, while petrochemical exports rose by 27.5 percent to $4 billion. The cosmetics sector saw a 57.5 percent surge, totaling $1.44 billion, driven by heightened demand in China, the United States, and the European Union. Automobile exports grew by 18.1 percent, amounting to $6.55 billion, boosted by the increased overseas demand for hybrid gasoline models. The major destinations for these exports were yet to be detailed in the report.",
  "summary": "South Korea's exports jumped 93.7 percent to a record $115.3 billion in October from a year earlier, driven largely by a sharp increase in semiconductor shipments, data showed Sunday. Strong global demand for semiconductors, coupled with continued investments by major technology companies in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, boosted overall exports, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "S. Korea's monthly exports hit US$115.3 bln in Oct. on record chip sales",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/01/s-koreas-monthly-exports-hit-us-115-3-bln-in-oct-on-record-chip-sales",
        "published": "2026-11-01T00:12:23.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}