![[CAPTIONS]
Visitors view exhibits at the Next-Generation Semiconductor Packaging Industry Show held at Suwon Convention Center in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on Feb. 26. Yonhap News - Seoul Economic Daily Finance News from South Korea](https://wimg.sedaily.com/news/cms/2026/09/01/news-p.v1.20260901.2a92ffd445f04a5a980fdbbd0c9f2f7c_P1.png "Korea Chip Exports Hit Record $46.6 Billion on AI Memory Boom")
South Korea's chip industry set another export record last month, powered by an artificial intelligence memory supercycle. Chip exports topped $46.6 billion in August as demand surged for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and server DRAM — the flagship products of Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) and SK hynix (000660.KS) — while memory prices climbed.
Chip exports reached $46.65 billion (about 64 trillion won) in August, up 209.0% from a year earlier, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said on the 1st. It was the largest monthly figure on record. Exports have exceeded $40 billion for three straight months since June. Semiconductors accounted for 47.5% of total exports of $98.25 billion (about 135 trillion won).
Memory for AI data centers drove the gains. As global hyperscalers such as Google and Amazon expand investment in AI infrastructure, demand is rising for server DRAM alongside HBM.
Wider shipments of AI data center accelerators, or GPUs, and higher memory content per server are lifting memory sales at Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.
Rising memory prices are also boosting export values. Goldman Sachs projected that the average selling price (ASP) of DRAM at Samsung Electronics and SK hynix would climb about 17% in the third quarter from the previous quarter.
Spot prices for DDR4 rose 7% over the month in August, while DDR5 gained 6%. Spot prices for DDR4 and DDR5 stood 43% and 16% above contract prices, respectively.
HBM in particular is likely to remain a seller's market next year, according to analysts. Goldman Sachs said the market consensus for HBM price growth in 2027 rose to 53% from 32% over the course of a month. Limited advanced DRAM capacity is being allocated first to HBM and server DRAM, which could prolong the supply shortage.
"Chip exports remain strong, and exports of non-semiconductor items are also posting a high growth rate of 20%, which is positive in that it shows the base of our exports is broadening," Trade Minister Kim Jung-kwan said.
