South Korea's exports reached a record $115.3 billion in October 2026, up 93.7% from a year earlier, according to data released on 1 November by the country's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, as reported by VietnamPlus from Vietnam News Agency's Seoul correspondent. Semiconductors were the main driver, with exports of $56.4 billion, up 259%, as global tech companies keep investing in artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Products and markets, compiled by KBVN+
| Category | October 2026 value | Year-on-year change |
|---|---|---|
| Total exports | $115.3 billion | 93.7% |
| Semiconductors | $56.4 billion | 259% |
| Petroleum products | $6.92 billion | 80% |
| Cars | $6.55 billion | 18.1% |
| Petrochemicals | $4 billion | 27.5% |
| Cosmetics | $1.44 billion | 57.5% |
| Exports to China | $26.98 billion | 133.6% |
| Exports to the US | $24.9 billion | 185.8% |
| Imports | $72.78 billion | 36% |
| Trade surplus | About $42.5 billion |
Chips alone accounted for nearly half of the month's exports, driven by demand for data centres and AI systems. Car exports rose on demand for hybrid models. In China and the US, the two biggest markets, growth came mainly from semiconductors, wireless communication equipment and AI infrastructure products.
A Vietnamese perspective
VietnamPlus said the figures show the strength of Korea's chip industry in the global AI investment wave and the growing weight of high-tech products in its exports. For Vietnamese readers, they are a gauge of how hot the AI investment cycle is, with demand for chips and data-centre equipment lifting trade in Asian economies tied to electronics supply chains. The report gave no figures on Vietnam-Korea trade, so the direct impact on Vietnam cannot be measured from this source.
What comes next
Whether the surge continues depends on global tech companies sustaining AI infrastructure spending. Korea's November export data will show whether the October record holds.