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KR — ZDNet Korea

Exports Near First-Ever $100 Billion Monthly Milestone... October Also Tops $110 Billion After September

Chips1 min read

South Korea's exports in October 2025 jumped to a record $115.28 billion, putting the country close to its first-ever $1 trillion export year. The rise is driven mainly by chips for artificial intelligence (AI).

Exports keep climbing toward $1 trillion

South Korea's Ministry of Industry said exports in October rose 93.7% from a year earlier, to $115.28 billion. Imports rose 36%, and the trade surplus (exports minus imports) reached $42.5 billion. Exports for the first 10 months passed $900 billion for the first time. The country needs about $70 billion more to reach $1 trillion, and it could do so in November.

Key numbers

  • Chip exports rose 259.4% to $56.44 billion.
  • Computer exports rose 496.6% to $5.85 billion, because of demand for AI server equipment.
  • Car exports rose 18.1% to $6.55 billion, a record for any October.
  • Exports to China rose 133.6% to $26.98 billion. Exports to the US rose 185.8% to $24.9 billion.
  • Ship exports fell 43.6% to $2.64 billion, because a big offshore plant project was counted last year.

What is driving the boom?

Big technology companies are spending heavily on AI, which needs many memory chips and servers. This pushes up both the prices and the number of chips Korea sells. Oil prices also stayed high because of supply worries in the Middle East, which raised the value of Korea's fuel and petrochemical exports, even though the amounts sold fell.

Why it matters

Exports are a major part of Korea's economy, so a $1 trillion year would be a big milestone. But the minister warned that many small and mid-sized companies still struggle with trade rules, supply chain changes and tensions in the Middle East. The boom is mostly led by big chip makers, so the gains may not reach every business equally.

What to watch

  • Whether Korea reaches $1 trillion in exports in November.
  • Whether chip prices keep rising as AI companies keep investing.
  • How trade rules from other countries, especially the US, change.

Glossary

AI
Artificial intelligence, computer systems that can learn and do tasks like people, such as understanding language.

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