South Korea’s information and communications technology (ICT) exports reached a record high in March, driven by strong global demand for semiconductors, according to government data released on Tuesday.
The country’s ICT product shipments surged 112 percent year-on-year to 43.51 billion U.S. dollars in March, crossing the 40-billion-dollar mark for the first time, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said. It marked the 14th consecutive month of growth since February 2025.
Semiconductor exports soared 151.4 percent to 32.84 billion dollars, exceeding the 30-billion-dollar threshold for the first time, fuelled by global investment in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure that boosted demand and prices for memory chips.
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However, display panel exports declined 9.3 percent to 1.49 billion dollars. In contrast, mobile phone exports jumped 57 percent to 1.54 billion dollars due to strong demand for new models.
Exports of computers and peripherals surged 174.1 percent to 3.59 billion dollars, while communications equipment shipments fell 5.8 percent to 210 million dollars.
On the import side, ICT products rose 32.2 percent year-on-year to 16.15 billion dollars in March. Imports of chips, mobile phones and computers recorded double-digit growth, while display panels and communications equipment saw single-digit increases.
As a result, South Korea’s ICT sector posted a trade surplus of 27.36 billion dollars for the month.