今年1至8月份韩出口持续增长

Core Insights - Despite the impact of U.S. tariff policies, South Korea's export value increased by 0.9% year-on-year from January to August, reaching $453.8 billion [1] Export Trends - Among the 15 major export categories, six categories including semiconductors (+16%), automobiles (+1%), and biopharmaceuticals (+6%) saw an increase in exports, while steel (-7%), petroleum products (-15%), and petrochemicals (-12%) experienced declines [1] - The semiconductor sector achieved record highs due to surging demand from artificial intelligence and data centers, along with a rebound in memory prices [1] - The automotive sector faced a decline in exports to the U.S. due to tariffs but managed to achieve overall growth by expanding into markets such as the EU and CIS [1] - The steel industry declined due to sluggish industrial demand and an increase in U.S. tariffs to 50%, while petroleum products and petrochemicals continued to decrease due to falling international oil prices and slowing global demand [1] Future Outlook - The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy anticipates a 13.5% year-on-year increase in exports for the first 20 days of September, with strong performance expected from semiconductors, automobiles, and biopharmaceuticals, potentially leading to four consecutive months of export growth [1] - The Trade and Investment Office Director emphasized that the positive export growth amidst uncertainties like U.S. tariffs is attributed to corporate competitiveness and market diversification efforts [1] - The government plans to support export momentum in the fourth quarter based on recently announced measures following U.S. tariff negotiations [1]