Last month, South Korea's exports were confirmed to have increased by 4.3% compared to the previous year. The country's largest export item, semiconductors, recorded the highest performance ever, driving the overall exports of South Korea last month. However, due to tariff burdens, exports to the U.S. have recorded a decline for three consecutive months from April to last month. According to the 'June Monthly Export and Import Status (Final)' released by the Korea Customs Service on the 15th, South Korea's exports last month amounted to $59.8 billion, an increase of 4.3% compared to the same month last year. Imports increased by 3.3% to $50.7 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $9.1 billion for South Korea last month.

Last month, semiconductor export performance stood out. In June, South Korea's semiconductor exports recorded $15.15 billion, an increase of 11.3% compared to the same month last year. This is the highest monthly export performance ever recorded.

The second-largest export item for South Korea, automobiles, saw a 0.3% decrease in export value to $6 billion compared to the same month last year. Due to the impact of U.S. tariffs, exports of automobiles to the U.S. plummeted by 15.9%, but exports to the European Union increased by 30.4%, partially offsetting the decline in exports to the U.S.

Among the major export destinations last month, exports to the European Union (14.7%), Taiwan (31.1%), Japan (2.9%), and the Middle East (14.7%) increased compared to the previous year, while exports to the U.S. decreased by 7.0% in April, 8.2% in May, and 0.5% last month.

[Reporter Yoo Jun-ho]