South Korea closed 2025 with a record $709.7 billion (C$980 billion) in exports, lifted by AI driven semiconductor demand, for the first time. December shipments rose 13.4 percent year over year to $69.6 billion (C$96.1 billion), according to trade data released on January 1, 2026.
Chips led the performance, with annual semiconductor exports at $173.4 billion (C$239 billion) after sustained memory price gains across the second half.
“This achievement, realized amid challenging conditions, reflects the resilience and growth potential of our economy,” Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan said in a release.
A sizeable goods surplus capped the year as imports eased modestly on energy and petrochemical prices. Daily average exports also reached a new high, signalling improved utilisation across factories and yards.
Semiconductors anchor trade and logistics
Memory chips for AI data centres pulled volumes higher across terminals and carriers handling Korea linked trade lanes. The run-up in high bandwidth memory and DDR5 pricing supported unit values and capital spending plans at upstream materials and equipment suppliers.
Export diversification toward ASEAN and the European Union helped offset softness in China and the United States, stabilizing vessel calls and feeder schedules. Automobiles and ships also logged gains, though tariff exposure weighed on select markets and shifted some orders toward Europe and the CIS.
The pattern signals sustained pressure on ports to handle larger, higher value chip cargoes and maintain cold chain integrity for biohealth loads. Suppliers across chemicals, specialty gases, and packaging saw follow-on volumes tied to advanced fab output and backend packaging capacity ramps.
Tariffs reshape market mix
Trade protection measures continued to alter routes, sales channels, and product lineups as exporters adjusted to shifting tariff schedules and customs rules. Exporters leaned harder on Middle East, Latin American, and CIS demand to maintain momentum and reduce reliance on any single policy exposed market.
At the same time, the AI cycle kept capacity additions and backend packaging investments on track across memory, foundry, and advanced substrate lines.
“Semiconductor unit prices are expected to remain high next year,” said Kang Gam-chan, a trade official, citing limited memory supply and server demand.
For infrastructure and logistics, the focus now shifts to secure materials, reliable power, and water for next wave fabs and packaging plants.
Fab expansions require utility corridors, substation capacity, and wastewater treatment with high purity standards, often co-located with packaging hubs. Logistics upgrades, including reefer capacity for sensitive goods and additional gate automation, will support higher throughput at major ports.
Policymakers will weigh targeted support for upstream suppliers and export financing against the risk of overbuilding late in the cycle. A measured rollout, tied to demand signals from AI data centre operators, reduces bottlenecks and keeps export growth on a more stable base. Export credit agencies may also scale instruments to de-risk private capex during an extended chip upcycle.