South Korea August Chip Exports Triple to Record $46.65B, Hit 47.5% of Total Goods Sales

South Korea's semiconductor exports jumped 209% year-over-year in August to a record $46.65B, accounting for 47.5% of the country's $98.25B in total goods exports, per government data. Chip shipments have now topped $40B for three consecutive months, buoyed by hyperscaler AI-infrastructure spending from Google and Amazon that flows through Samsung and SK Hynix. Officials warned an abrupt pullback in AI demand would leave the export-reliant economy exposed.