South Korea's February Exports Surpass Expectations with 29% Growth

South Korea's trade data reveals a significant increase in exports for February, with a year-on-year growth of 29%, surpassing market expectations of 24%. According to RTHK, this marks the ninth consecutive month of export growth. Imports, however, rose by 7.5%, which was below the anticipated 13% increase. During this period, the preliminary trade surplus was recorded at $15.51 billion. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of South Korea attributed the robust export performance to strong demand driven by investments in artificial intelligence and rising memory prices. This demand led to a 160% increase in semiconductor exports, setting a new monthly record. For three consecutive months, export values have exceeded $20 billion.