SEOUL, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's export volume grew for the second straight month due to strong demand for locally-made semiconductors, central bank data showed Wednesday.
The export volume index rose 11.9 percent in December 2025 from a year earlier, after expanding 7.1 percent in the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea.
In terms of volume, shipments of computers, electronics, and optical devices jumped 16.9 percent in December on a yearly basis, driven by robust demand for semiconductors used in artificial intelligence (AI) chipsets.
Export volume for farm goods and oil products spiked in double digits, while those for chemical products, machinery, equipment and transport equipment gained in single figures.
The export value index soared 14.8 percent in December from a year earlier after swelling 9.1 percent in November.
The import volume index rose 8.7 percent in the cited month, while the import value index climbed 5.9 percent.
The net terms-of-trade index for goods, or a ratio of export price to import price, was up 5.4 percent in December on a yearly basis owing to the import price fall. ■
