South Korea's Exports Jump More Than 50% in Early July as AI Chip Boom Powers Semiconductor Demand

South Korea's exports surged 52.3% year over year in the first 20 days of July, reaching $54.9 billion, as booming demand for AI-related semiconductors continued to drive the country's outbound shipments. The figures, published in preliminary data from the Korea Customs Service, represent a $18.9 billion increase over the same period a year earlier and underscore how the global buildout of AI infrastructure is reshaping one of Asia's largest export-dependent economies.