South Korea’s exports reached a record $709.7 billion in 2025, up 3.8% from a year earlier, surpassing the $700 billion mark for the first time, trade ministry data showed Thursday. Imports edged down 0.02% to $631.7 billion, resulting in a $78 billion trade surplus, the largest since 2017. Semiconductor exports rose 22.2% to an all-time high of $173.4 billion, driven by strong demand for high-value memory products, while autos, ships and biohealth also recorded solid gains.

Exports in December climbed 13.4% from a year earlier to $69.6 billion, extending South Korea’s export growth streak to 11 consecutive months. Imports rose