Seoul: The top five companies, including Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc., accounted for around 44 percent of South Korea's total exports in the first quarter, data showed Sunday, amid soaring global demand for memory chips driven by the artificial intelligence (AI) boom.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Ministry of Data and Statistics reported that the five exporters posted combined outbound shipments of US$95.7 billion, or 43.5 percent of the country's total exports of $219.9 billion, in the January-March period. This marks a significant increase of 14.8 percentage points from the 28.7 percent recorded in the same period of 2025, highlighting South Korea's growing reliance on major tech firms for export revenues.

The top five companies experienced a $50 billion increase in exports year-on-year in the first quarter, contributing to 82.8 percent of the nation's total export growth during the period. Experts attribute South Korea's recent export gains to the AI boom rather than a broader recovery in the global economy, suggesting that this disparity may continue.

"The global economy is only enjoying prosperity within the AI industry's value chain," said Kim Kwang-seok, head of economic research at the Institute for Korean Economy and Industry. Kim noted that while major South Korean firms are capitalizing on opportunities within the AI value chain, businesses in traditional industries are encountering challenges.