South Korea’s exports decreased for the 12th straight month in September, marking a 4.4% on-year decline to $54.66 billion, the ROK Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) reported. However, this decline was the smallest on-year drop this year, signaling a potential upswing in the near future. This optimism stems from the global semiconductor demand showing signs of recovery, with September recording the highest monthly export value for the year. Despite the overall decline in exports, South Korea posted a trade surplus of $3.7 billion in September, its largest in two years, due to a sharper drop in imports.