(LEAD) Exports double in first 10 days of October on chips
Provisional customs data show a record for the period, led by semiconductor shipments.
TL;DR
- South Korea’s exports rose 102% year over year to $26.1 billion in October 1–10, the highest value for that period.
- Semiconductor exports climbed 170.9% to $12.1 billion, while imports rose 65.5% to $22.3 billion.
- The figures cover only the first ten days and are provisional; the year-on-year comparison is also affected by the number of working days.
South Korea’s exports reached $26.1 billion from October 1 to 10, up 102% from the same period a year earlier, according to Korea Customs Service data reported by Yonhap. The value was the highest recorded for the first ten days of October. [1]
Semiconductor shipments rose 170.9% to $12.1 billion. The daily average export value was $4.75 billion, a record for any ten-day period, while imports increased 65.5% to $22.3 billion, leaving a $3.8 billion trade surplus. [1]
KBS independently reported the provisional customs figures and likewise identified semiconductor shipments as the main driver. The available breakdown also showed export growth in cars and petroleum products, while ship exports declined. [2]
These are provisional data for a short period, not a full-month result. Yonhap noted that operating-day comparisons can affect the year-on-year figure; the composition and pace of exports over the rest of October remain unknown. [1]
Why it matters
The short-period data show how strongly semiconductors are shaping South Korea’s export growth, but calendar effects and the provisional window limit what they say about the full month.
Editor's note
Provisional ten-day figures; calendar effects may affect year-on-year comparison.