Nov 30, 2025 – South Korea’s November exports climb 8.4% to $61.04 billion, with semiconductor shipments jumping 38.6% to $17.26 billion and auto exports rising 13.7% to $6.41 billion, driving the trade surplus to $9.73 billion; Industry Minister Kim Jung‑kwan says the surge reflects strong chip, auto and bio‑health performance and a new U.S.‑Korea tariff deal on cars [21][22].

Dec 1, 2025 – Electric‑equipment exports reach $7.13 billion Jan‑Nov, up 11.3% YoY, led by the United States (37.2% share); the Korea Customs Service attributes growth to AI‑driven data‑center demand that has surged since ChatGPT’s 2022 launch [20].

Dec 3, 2025 – The Ministry of Trade projects 2025 total exports to exceed $700 billion for the first time, citing $640.2 billion in Jan‑Nov shipments, record gains in semiconductors, autos, ships and bio‑health, and a broadened market mix; SME exports hit a record $87.1 billion and SK hynix earns the top export award [19].

Dec 4, 2025 – South Korea records its 30th consecutive monthly current‑account surplus in October, a $6.81 billion surplus that keeps the streak alive since May 2023, while cumulative surplus for the first ten months reaches $89.58 billion, according to the Bank of Korea [17].

Dec 4, 2025 – President Lee Jae Myung meets senior aides and orders a review of supply‑demand imbalances to curb inflation, which sits at 2.4% YoY, and urges pre‑emptive action against price‑fixing; he notes that exports are on track to hit a $700 billion record and stresses diversification through Global‑South partnerships [18].

Dec 10, 2025 – Exports surge 17.3% in the first ten days of December to $20.58 billion, with semiconductor shipments up 45.9% to $5.27 billion; petrochemicals and steel also rise, while autos and vessels fall, and analysts expect the year to surpass $700 billion in total exports [16].

Dec 16, 2025 – The United States and South Korea lower auto tariffs to 15% in exchange for a $350 billion U.S. investment pledge; exports rise 2.9% YoY to $640.2 billion Jan‑Nov, and the Bank of Korea lifts its 2025 growth forecast to 1.0% and its 2026 outlook to 1.8%, citing strong chip demand [15].

Dec 20, 2025 – Korean automobile exports increase 13.7% in November to $6.4 billion, driven by eco‑friendly models (+23.4% units) and hybrids (+40% units); U.S. shipments rebound to $2.69 billion after the tariff cut, while EU and Asian markets also expand [14].

Dec 21, 2025 – In the first twenty days of December, outbound shipments hit a record $43 billion, up 6.8% YoY, as chip exports soar 41.8% to $11.65 billion; vehicle exports dip 12.7% and the trade surplus widens to $3.8 billion [13].

Dec 24, 2025 – The Ministry announces a target of $70 billion in annual consumer‑goods exports by 2030, leveraging the global Hallyu wave and pledging R&D, design, logistics support and expanded trade‑insurance financing for food, beauty and related sectors [12].

Dec 25, 2025 – The Bank of Korea raises its 2026 growth forecast to 1.8% on the back of an AI‑chip upturn, noting an 8.4% November export gain and a record $640.2 billion in Jan‑Nov shipments; university expert Park Jea‑gun warns that premium AI chips will stay in a long‑run upcycle, while KITA’s Jin Ok‑hee urges high‑value, non‑price competition against China [11].

Dec 29, 2025 – South Korea’s annual exports break the $700 billion barrier for the first time, making it the world’s sixth largest exporter; semiconductors lead the surge, while exports to the U.S. and China fall as market diversification expands, and the government promises reforms and $35 billion of FDI to sustain momentum [10].

Jan 1, 2026 – 2025 export totals hit a record $709.7 billion, up 3.8% YoY, with semiconductor sales soaring 22.2% to $173.4 billion on AI data‑center demand; the government pledges a historic 275 trillion‑won trade‑insurance package and an AI‑driven manufacturing transformation to keep exports above $700 billion next year [8].

Jan 1, 2026 – Korea becomes the sixth nation to surpass $700 billion in annual exports, with semiconductors accounting for 24% of trade, auto diversification, and cultural‑goods growth; Samsung projects a record Q4 profit above 20 trillion won, while President Lee Jae Myung vows to cut regulations that burden exporters [9].

Jan 8‑9, 2026 – South Korea posts its largest-ever November current‑account surplus at $12.24 billion, the highest since records began in 1980, driven by a 38.7% jump in chip exports and a 10.9% rise in vehicle shipments; the Bank of Korea forecasts a full‑year current‑account balance near $115 billion, the biggest on record [7][6].

Jan 12, 2026 – In the first ten days of January, exports dip 2.3% to $15.55 billion, yet chip shipments surge 45.6% to $4.64 billion (29.9% of total); auto, vessel and steel exports fall sharply, while shipments to China rise 15.4% and to the U.S. fall 14.7% amid tariff pressures [4][5].

Jan 21, 2026 – Exports rebound 14.9% in the Jan 1‑20 window to $36.36 billion, with semiconductor shipments up 70.2% to $10.73 billion (29.5% of total); imports climb 4.2% to $36.98 billion, creating a $600 million trade deficit, and exports to China and the U.S. grow 30.2% and 19.3% respectively, while the year‑to‑date outbound shipments reach a record $709.7 billion [2][3].

Feb 1, 2026 – January exports explode 33.9% YoY to $65.85 billion, the highest January total on record and the first to exceed $600 billion; semiconductor shipments double to $20.54 billion, auto exports rise 21.7% to $6.07 billion, and wireless‑device exports jump 66.9% to $2.03 billion, while shipments to China (+46.7%), the United States (+29.5%) and ASEAN (+40.7%) surge despite tariff‑related drops in U.S. auto and machinery shipments [1].