The quantity of semiconductor exports has increased this year despite a sluggish global market.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Monday, two-thousand-557 tons of semiconductors were shipped from South Korea between October first and 25, up 16 percent from the same period last year.

The volume of semiconductor exports has increased by double-digits for four consecutive months since July and is up five-point-two percent so far this year from 2018.

Market analysts say that buyers have increased orders for South Korean chips due to growing uncertainties caused by Japanese export restrictions on key inputs used in the semiconductor production process.

Government data says chip production also rose eight-point-three percent in the third quarter from a year ago.

Due to falling global prices, however, South Korea's total chip exports were valued at 78-point-nine billion U.S. dollars between January and October this year, down 26 percent from the same period last year.

The Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade projected in a report on Sunday that the global semiconductor market will pick up next year due to 5G network proliferation and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.