SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's August exports of information and communications technology (ICT) products hit a record high on the back of an unprecedented boom in global artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure investments, government data showed Monday.
The ICT products shipment surged 162.6 percent from a year earlier to 59.98 billion U.S. dollars in August, shattering records once again and topping 50 billion dollars for a third consecutive month, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources.
ICT exports continued to go up for 19 straight months since February 2025.
Semiconductor exports spiked 209.0 percent to reach an all-time high of 46.67 billion dollars, marking a triple-digit increase for eight months in a row.
Display panel shipments fell 7.0 percent to 1.69 billion dollars, but mobile phone exports jumped 23.2 percent to 1.64 billion dollars thanks to solid demand for premium smartphones.
Shipments of computers and peripherals skyrocketed 383.1 percent to 6.40 billion dollars amid robust demand for solid-state drives (SSDs), and communications equipment exports advanced 11.5 percent to 210 million dollars.
Imports of ICT products soared 48.8 percent from a year earlier to 18.61 billion dollars in August, sending the trade surplus in the ICT industry to 41.37 billion dollars.
The trade surplus surpassed 40 billion dollars for the first time in the country's history.
Imports of chips, mobile phones and computers posted double-digit growth last month. ■
