SEJONG: South Korea’s exports climbed to a record $86.1 billion in March, passing the $80 billion mark for the first time and posting a 48.3% increase from a year earlier, government data showed on April 1. Imports rose 13.2% to $60.4 billion, leaving the country with a $25.7 billion trade surplus. The monthly surplus was also the largest on record, underscoring the strength of overseas demand for the country’s key industrial goods despite broader disruptions in energy and shipping markets.
The March figures marked a sharp acceleration in trade activity for one of Asia’s most export-dependent economies. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said average daily exports, adjusted for the number of working days, rose 41.9% from a year earlier to a record $3.7 billion. The ministry said the export gain came even as the conflict in the Middle East disrupted logistics flows, lifted shipping risks and added pressure to trade routes and energy supply chains used by South Korean companies.
Semiconductors led the increase, with monthly chip exports rising 151.4% from a year earlier to $32.8 billion, the highest level ever recorded for the sector and the first time it has exceeded $30 billion in a single month. The ministry said 10 of the country’s 15 key export categories posted gains in March. Computer exports surged 189.2% to $3.4 billion, also a record, while secondary battery shipments rose 36.0% to $900 million, adding to the breadth of the increase.
Semiconductor shipments power broad trade gains
Automobile exports edged up 2.2% from a year earlier to $6.4 billion, with gains in eco-friendly vehicles helping offset the effect of logistics disruptions tied to the Middle East conflict. Petroleum product exports jumped 54.9% to $5.1 billion, while petrochemical exports rose 5.8%. Outside the ministry’s 15 key export categories, shipments of electrical equipment, cosmetics, and agricultural and fisheries goods also reached record highs for March, showing that the export increase extended beyond the semiconductor sector.
By destination, shipments rose in seven of South Korea’s nine major markets. Exports to China increased 64.0% to $16.5 billion, extending growth there to a fifth straight month. Exports to the United States rose 47.1% to $16.3 billion, supported by semiconductors and computers. Shipments to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations climbed 34.3% to $13.8 billion, while exports to the European Union advanced 19.3% to $7.5 billion. Exports to the Middle East, however, fell 49.1% to $900 million amid logistics disruptions.
Import trends reflect energy and supply pressures
Imports rose at a slower pace than exports, with energy purchases easing while non-energy imports increased. The ministry said energy imports slipped 7.0% from a year earlier to $9.4 billion, while non-energy imports rose 17.9% to $51.0 billion. Crude oil imports fell 5.0% to $6.0 billion as supply disruptions linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz reduced import volumes, more than offsetting higher unit prices. Semiconductor imports rose 34.8% to $8.6 billion, and semiconductor equipment imports increased 4.4% to $2.9 billion.
The March data extended South Korea’s monthly trade surplus streak to 14 straight months since February 2025 and widened the surplus by $21.0 billion from the same month a year earlier. The figures highlighted the central role of semiconductors in the country’s export performance while also showing wider gains across vehicles, refined fuel, technology products and consumer goods. Even with weaker shipments to the Middle East and pressure on crude supply routes, South Korea delivered its strongest monthly export and trade surplus figures on record. – By Content Syndication Services.