Exports rose for the sixth straight month in March, on the back of the robust performance of chips.
 
According to data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy on Monday, the country's outbound shipments gained three-point-one percent year-on-year to 56-point-five billion U.S. dollars last month.
 
By sector, exports of chips soared 35-point-seven percent year-on-year during March to eleven-point-seven billion dollars, rising for the fifth consecutive month and marking the highest figure in 21 months since June 2022, when it reached 12-point-three billion dollars.
 
A key economic growth engine for South Korea, semiconductor exports rebounded in October after 13 months of on-year decline, with the ministry citing the rebound in memory chip prices due to supply adjustments, as well as increased demand for premium products like high bandwidth memory(HBM) chips.
 
Meanwhile, imports fell 12-point-three percent on-year to 52-point-two billion dollars last month, resulting in a trade surplus of four-point-28 billion, as the country has reported a trade surplus for ten consecutive months.