수출 8천억달러 첫 돌파…작년 연간 실적 상회 / 연합뉴스TV (YonhapnewsTV)

[Anchor] Exports in September of this year surpassed $120 billion for the first time in history, and cumulative exports from January to September have already exceeded last year's annual total. With the continued strong performance of key items such as semiconductors, expectations are rising that exports will also surpass $1 trillion for the first time. If this materializes, it would make Korea the fourth country to reach this milestone, following the United States, China, and Germany. Reporter Kim Dong-wook reports. [Reporter] Last month, exports exceeded $120 billion for the first time in history. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that September's export value was $120.94 billion, an 83.5% increase compared to the same period last year. Cumulative exports from January to September reached $814.5 billion, already surpassing last year's total of $709.3 billion, which was the all-time high. Annual exports this year are expected to break the $1 trillion mark for the first time. [Lee Hyung-il / Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy] "Exports are expected to record an all-time monthly high in September, and the annual figure is projected to surpass $1 trillion for the first time in history." By product category, semiconductor exports surged 262.8% to $60.3 billion, driven by increased demand for memory and rising prices, breaking the $60 billion monthly export mark for the first time in history. Computer exports also rose 435.3% to $7 billion due to increased demand for AI infrastructure, while cosmetics exports reached a record high of $1.51 billion. By region, exports to China exceeded $20 billion for the fourth consecutive month, driven by growth in high-tech industries such as semiconductors, while exports to the United States and ASEAN also showed a balanced growth trend across major product categories. Imports in September recorded $71.09 billion, a 26% increase, and the trade surplus reached $49.85 billion, surpassing $40 billion for the first time in history. Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jeong-kwan stated that he would maintain the upward momentum in exports in the remaining fourth quarter by keeping high-level channels with trade authorities of major countries constantly active and responding preemptively. This is Kim Dong-wook from Yonhap News TV. [Video Reporting: Kim Dong-hwa] [Video Editing: Kim Se-na] [Graphics: Im Hye-bin] ▣ Subscribe to Yonhap News TV's economic information service 'MoneyMove' @moneymove_tv ▣ Subscribe to Yonhap News TV YouTube Channel @yonhapnewstv23 ▣ The beginning of Korean news, Yonhap News TV http://www.yonhapnewstv.co.kr/