Korea’s exports hit all-time high of $709.7b

The Republic of Korea’s exports reached an all-time high of $709.7 billion in 2025, surpassing the landmark $700 billion mark for the first time, government data showed.

Annual exports rose 3.8 per cent from a year earlier, with semiconductor exports jumping 22.2 per cent on-year to a record high of $173.4 billion on the back of the growth of artificial intelligence (AI), according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources.

Imports edged down 0.02 per cent on-year to $631.7 billion in 2025, resulting in the largest trade surplus since 2017 of $78 billion, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Meanwhile online shopping sales in the Republic of Korea jumped 6.8 per cent from a year earlier to a record high in November, driven by strong demand for food-related services, data showed Friday.

The value of online shopping transactions stood at 24.15 trillion won ($16.75 billion) in November, up 1.53 trillion won from a year earlier, data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics showed.

According to Yonhap News Agency, this marks the highest figure since 2017, when the ministry began compiling the data. Sales of food services, as well as food and beverages, climbed 13.7 per cent on-year in November, largely due to the impact of promotions by food delivery platforms.

Spending on travel and transportation services also rose 8.5 per cent on-year, supported by a recovery in domestic and overseas travel demand and promotional events in the second half of the year.

In contrast, online sales of home appliances and electronics fell 4.9 per cent, largely due to a decrease in promotional events offered by online shopping malls compared with a year earlier.

Purchases made through smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices increased 7.9 per cent on-year to 18.59 trillion won, also setting a new record.

WAM