Exports came to $61.99 billion between June 1 and 20, up 60.4 percent from the same period last year, preliminary data from the Korea Customs Service showed Monday.
The figure surpassed the previous 20-day record of $54.3 billion set in March, pointing to a sharper-than-expected acceleration in Korea’s trade recovery.
The headline gain was partly helped by the calendar. There were 15 working days during the period, one more than a year earlier.
But even after adjusting for working days, exports rose 49.7 percent on-year to an average $4.13 billion per day.
Semiconductors did most of the heavy lifting.
Chip exports nearly tripled from a year earlier, jumping 188.4 percent to $25.51 billion. That was also the highest figure ever recorded for the first 20 days of a month.
The surge lifted semiconductors’ share of total exports to 41.2 percent, up 18.3 percentage points from a year earlier, underscoring how heavily Korea’s export rebound now depends on the chip cycle.
Other technology-related shipments also showed strength. Exports of computer peripherals almost quadrupled to $3.07 billion, rising 293.3 percent from a year earlier.
Petroleum product exports rose 39.0 percent to $3.68 billion, while ship exports climbed 39.9 percent to $2.22 billion.
Passenger car exports were more subdued, rising 2.3 percent to $3.74 billion. Auto parts exports fell 9.5 percent to $1.11 billion.
The recovery was broad across major markets, but China and the United States remained the main anchors. Exports to China jumped 86.9 percent to $13.05 billion, while shipments to the United States rose 53.9 percent to $11.40 billion.
Exports to Vietnam increased 75.5 percent to $5.93 billion. Shipments to the European Union rose 13.6 percent, and exports to Taiwan more than doubled, rising 103.6 percent.
China, the United States and Vietnam together accounted for 49.0 percent of Korea’s total exports during the period.
Imports rose at a slower pace than exports, increasing 23.2 percent from a year earlier to $44.50 billion.
Semiconductor imports rose 55.5 percent to $7.10 billion, reflecting strong demand across the chip supply chain. Imports of chipmaking equipment also climbed 51.9 percent to $2.14 billion.
Energy imports increased as well. Crude oil imports rose 18.8 percent to $5.44 billion, gas imports gained 8.3 percent and coal imports jumped 63.1 percent.
Combined imports of crude oil, gas and coal were up 19.9 percent from a year earlier.
Imports from China rose 41.1 percent to $11.28 billion, while those from the United States increased 26.0 percent to $5.54 billion. Imports from the European Union, Japan and Taiwan also rose, gaining 16.4 percent, 14.2 percent and 33.8 percent, respectively.
With exports growing far faster than imports, Korea posted a trade surplus of $17.50 billion for the June 1-20 period.
For the year through June 20, exports totaled $456.45 billion, up 45.6 percent from a year earlier. Imports rose 15.1 percent to $336.79 billion, leaving a cumulative trade surplus of $119.67 billion.
The customs agency cautioned that the figures are preliminary and cover only a short period, meaning they can be affected by changes in working days. Some figures may be revised before annual trade data are finalized.
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