SEOUL, April 1 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's exports hit an all-time high in March thanks to strong demand for locally-made semiconductors, government data showed Wednesday.
Exports, which account for about half of the export-driven economy, soared 48.3 percent to 86.13 billion U.S. dollars in March compared to the same month of 2025, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resource.
It surpassed the previous record high of 69.5 billion dollars tallied in December 2025.
The daily average export surged 41.9 percent to reach a new high of 3.74 billion dollars.
Imports grew 13.2 percent to 60.40 billion dollars in March, sending the trade surplus to 25.74 billion dollars.
Of the country's 15 major export items, 10 products saw a growth in outbound shipments.
Semiconductor export spiked 151.4 percent to reach a new monthly high of 32.83 billion dollars, topping 30 billion dollars for the first time.
The record chip shipment was driven by expanding artificial intelligence (AI) investment and a subsequent surge in memory chip prices.
Mobile phone export advanced 43.5 percent to 1.79 billion dollars, but display panel shipments declined 1.5 percent to 1.44 billion dollars.
Computer shipments soared 189.2 percent to 3.42 billion dollars, owing to solid demand for solid-state drives (SSDs), keeping an upward trend for the sixth consecutive month.
Automotive export gained 2.2 percent to 6.37 billion dollars on the back of robust demand for eco-friendly vehicles, but auto parts shipments dipped 2.4 percent to 1.80 billion dollars.
General machinery shipments decreased 6.3 percent to 3.88 billion dollars, but export for ships jumped 10.7 percent to 3.52 billion dollars.
Export for oil products mounted 54.9 percent to 5.10 billion dollars amid surging oil prices, affected by the Middle East tensions.
Dubai crude, South Korea's benchmark, averaged 128.5 dollars per barrel in March, up 77.3 percent compared with the same month of 2025.
Petrochemicals export increased 5.8 percent to 3.87 billion dollars, but shipments for steel products fell 2.2 percent to 2.51 billion dollars.
Home appliance shipments retreated in single digits, but secondary battery export logged a double-digit expansion.
Exports to the United States surged 47.1 percent to 16.34 billion dollars on soaring semiconductor demand.
Shipments to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) swelled 34.3 percent to 13.75 billion dollars, while exports to the European Union (EU) expanded 19.3 percent to 7.47 billion dollars.
Exports to Japan spiked 26.8 percent to 2.74 billion dollars, while those to Latin America and India climbed in double figures to 3.08 billion dollars and 1.96 billion dollars, respectively.
Regarding import items, the import of three major energy sources, including crude oil, natural gas and coal, shrank 7.0 percent to 9.37 billion dollars in March.
Non-energy imports expanded 17.9 percent to 51.02 billion dollars on robust demand for semiconductor equipment, semiconductors and mobile phones. ■
