Seoul: South Korea's exports reached an all-time high of US$709.7 billion last year, surpassing the landmark $700 billion mark for the first time, government data showed Thursday. Annual exports rose 3.8 percent from a year earlier, with semiconductor exports posting a record-high of $173.4 billion on the back of the growth of artificial intelligence (AI).

According to Yonhap News Agency, imports edged down 0.02 percent on-year to $631.7 billion in 2025, resulting in a trade surplus of $78 billion. In December, outbound shipments surged 13.4 percent from a year earlier, extending the winning streak to 11 consecutive months.