Semiconductor exports edged down last month, but still topped $30 billion in April

Domestic semiconductor exports, buoyed by expanded investment in artificial intelligence (AI), topped $30 billion again last month, though they edged down slightly from March. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said on the 3rd that semiconductor exports last month came to $31.895 billion. This is a sharp increase from the same month last year and marks the highest figure ever for April. Exports of memory semiconductors and SSDs were especially strong, and demand related to AI data centers was analyzed as having supported the results. However, compared with the alltime high in March, the figure fell by about $900 million, and the market is offering mixed interpretations about whether AI investment expansion will continue and how the semiconductor industry will trend. The ministry explained that, taking into account the effect of quarterly earnings adjustments, demand remains solid. Within the industry, if this trend continues, there is even discussion that South Korea's annual exports this year could surpass Japan's.