韩出口过度依赖半导体

Core Insights - South Korea's semiconductor exports reached $104.21 billion from January to August this year, marking a 15.7% year-on-year increase and accounting for 23% of total exports, up from 21% in 2023 and 15.9% in 2022 [1] - The growth in semiconductor exports is driven by rising prices of D-RAM and NAND, as well as increased demand for AI-related high-bandwidth memory [1] - Excluding semiconductors, South Korea's overall export performance is weak, with total exports at $453.83 billion, a slight increase of 0.87% year-on-year, while non-semiconductor exports fell by 2.8% to $349.53 billion [1] Export Performance - Major categories such as chemicals, automotive parts, machinery, and steel have seen declines in exports [1] - Despite slight growth in overall exports in July and August, non-semiconductor exports decreased by 0.3% and 5.5%, respectively [1] Trade Vulnerability - Experts warn that over-reliance on semiconductors could exacerbate South Korea's trade vulnerability, as the sector is highly cyclical and may lead to significant export fluctuations [1] - The Korea Trade Association indicates that the concentration index for South Korea's export categories is high at 520, significantly exceeding that of Japan (389), China (129), and France (118), highlighting the need for diversification and development of emerging industries to mitigate risks [1]