In an impressive display of growth, Korea's semiconductor exports soared by 36.3% year-on-year, reaching a record-setting $13.63 billion in September 2024, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT. This remarkable uptick demonstrates Korea's robust position in the global semiconductor market, highlighting the sector's resilience and expanding demand.
The memory segment, which has seen exceptional growth, reported exports worth $8.72 billion, a staggering 60.7% increase year-on-year and a 20% rise month-on-month. This surge can be largely attributed to the rising demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which has played a significant role in boosting DRAM export values.
In addition to memory, System on Chip (SoC) exports also witnessed a healthy growth trend, increasing 5.2% year-on-year** to $4.37 billion. This stable growth in SoC exports reflects the ongoing innovation and adoption of integrated circuits across various tech sectors.
Overall, exports in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector saw a 24% year-on-year increase, totaling $22.36 billion in September. This marks the 11th consecutive month of growth for Korea's ICT exports and represents the second-highest monthly figure on record.
Despite the current boom, TrendForce anticipates a slowdown in the growth rate of memory prices in the upcoming quarter. They project that conventional DRAM prices may rise by 0-5%, while heightened demand for HBM could push the overall average selling price (ASP) of DRAM up by 8-13%.
The strong performance of Korea's semiconductor exports in September serves as a testament to the country's innovation and leadership in the tech industry, paving the way for continued growth and development in the months to come.