South Korea's exports surged 53.2% in May to a record $87.75 billion, the fastest growth in over four decades, driven by booming chip sales amid AI investment.
Semiconductor exports jumped 169.4% to a record $37.16 billion, while computer sales soared 290.7% on AI server demand.
Exports to the US rose 59.1% and to China 80.9%, but shipments to the Middle East fell 7.7%.
The central bank raised its 2024 growth forecast to 2.6%, and the trade surplus hit an all-time high of $26.95 billion.
