South Korea: Due to robust semiconductor sales exports increased 17.3%.

South Korea: In the first 10 days of December, South Korea’s exports increased 17.3% compared to the same period last year, supported by strong worldwide demand for semiconductors and longer working days, according to figures released on Thursday.

According to figures from the Korea Customs Service, outbound exports totaled $20.58 billion for the period of December 1–10, up from $17.54 billion during the same time last year. According to Yonhap news agency, it was the highest number ever recorded during a 10-day period.

The customs agency reports that average daily exports increased by 3.5 percent year over year to $2.42 billion. There were 8.5 working days during the time, up from 7.5 days the previous year.

According to the statistics, imports increased 8% year over year to $20.65 billion over that time, creating a $70 million trade imbalance.

Chip shipments were $5.27 billion, up 45.9 percent from the previous year. During the 10-day period, semiconductor exports made up 25.6% of the nation’s total exports, an increase of 5 percentage points over the same time last year.

Steel exports increased by only 1.9 percent to $1.19 billion, while petrochemical product exports increased 23.1 percent year over year to $1.51 billion.

However, ship shipments fell 47.7 percent to $567 million, while car exports fell 5.7 percent year over year to $1.36 billion.

Amid Washington’s latest tariff measures, however, shipments to the United States dropped 3.2 percent year-over-year to $3.57 billion.

Shipments to the European Union increased by 2.6 percent to $1.59 billion, while shipments to Vietnam increased by 35.8 percent to $2.13 billion.

Strong demand for semiconductors drove November’s exports, which rose 8.4% from the previous year to $61.04 billion, the most for any November.

It is anticipated that the nation’s yearly exports would cross the $700 billion threshold for the first time this year after accumulated exports in the January–November period hit $640.2 billion, a record high for the period in question.