South Korea’s exports jumped 78.3% from a year earlier to a record US$71.4 billion in the first 20 days of September 2026, according to preliminary Korea Customs Service data released on Monday, 21 September. The surge was driven by semiconductor shipments, which more than tripled on strong demand for chips, Aju Press reported.
Imports rose 26.7% to $48.4 billion, leaving a trade surplus of about $23 billion for the period. For more regional economy coverage, visit our business hub and South Korea hub.
Key takeaways
- Exports for 1-20 September hit a record $71.4 billion, up 78.3% year on year, beating June’s previous 20-day high of $61.7 billion.
- Chip exports rose 259.4% to $34.1 billion, making up 47.8% of all shipments.
- Shipments to both China and the United States more than doubled.
A new 20-day record
The early-September tally was the highest ever for the first 20 days of a month, topping the previous record of $61.7 billion set in June this year, according to The Korea Herald, which carried a Yonhap report. Exports in the same period of 2025 were $40 billion.
The jump was not simply a calendar effect. Average daily exports climbed 89.8% to $4.61 billion, even though the period had 15.5 working days, one fewer than a year earlier, Aju Press said. The strong start follows an August in which exports rose 68.7% to $98.25 billion, the third straight month above $90 billion.
Semiconductors lead the way
Chip exports reached a record $34.1 billion in the period, up 259.4% from a year earlier, and accounted for 47.8% of all outbound shipments, up 24.1 percentage points. The rise in semiconductor shipments made up about 79% of the $31.4 billion increase in total exports, according to Aju Press.
Growth was not limited to chips. Exports excluding semiconductors still rose 22.0%. Petroleum product exports increased 47.8% and ship exports climbed 63.0%, while passenger car shipments gained 9.3%. Computer peripherals surged 187.6%. Mobile device exports, by contrast, slipped 0.4% to $1.24 billion, The Korea Herald reported, and wireless communication devices, auto parts, precision instruments and home appliances also declined.
China and the US both double
By destination, shipments to China rose 113.8% to $16.6 billion and exports to the United States jumped 118.0% to $14.2 billion. Exports to Vietnam grew 44.8% to $5.87 billion, while shipments to Taiwan surged 128.5% and those to the European Union rose 37.0%. China, the US and Vietnam together took 51.4% of Korea’s exports in the period, Aju Press said.
On the import side, semiconductor purchases rose 88.8% and imports of chipmaking equipment increased 55.6%, reflecting continued investment in production capacity. Crude oil imports climbed 37.3%, pushing combined imports of crude oil, gas and coal up 27.9%.
Year-to-date picture and caveats
From the start of 2026 through 20 September, exports totalled $765.0 billion, up 55.0% from a year earlier, while imports rose 19.5% to $539.4 billion. That left a cumulative trade surplus of $225.6 billion, according to Aju Press.
The customs agency cautioned that the data cover only the first 20 days of the month and can be affected by differences in working days and the timing of customs clearance. Full-month September figures will show whether the pace holds, but the numbers underline how central AI-related chip demand has become to South Korea’s growth and to the wider Asian tech supply chain.
