South Korea's Monthly Exports Top $100 Billion for First Time on AI Chip Boom

South Korea's exports jumped 70.9% year-on-year in June to a record $102.25 billion, the first time the country's monthly shipments have exceeded $100 billion, according to preliminary trade ministry data released July 1. The surge marked the strongest annual growth since 1978 and beat economists' forecasts, making South Korea only the fourth country ever to cross the $100 billion monthly export threshold, alongside China, the United States and Germany. Semiconductors were the main engine, with chip exports soaring about 199.5% to $44.8 billion amid a global artificial intelligence investment boom that has supercharged demand for advanced memory and AI-server components. Computer exports also more than quadrupled, while shipments to China and the United States each topped $20 billion. Imports rose about 30%, leaving a record monthly trade surplus of $36.15 billion and pushing the first-half surplus to $138.3 billion, already far above the full-year 2025 total. Economists cautioned that growth may be nearing a peak as the AI cycle matures and warned of a heavy reliance on a single industry, with exports outside semiconductors growing only modestly.