]South Korea's trade surplus increased to USD 6.51 billion in August 2025, up from USD 3.77 billion in the same month a year earlier, and surpassed market expectations of USD 5.4 billion, as exports grew while imports fell, preliminary data showed. Exports rose 1.3% year-on-year, below market expectations of 3% growth and easing from a downwardly revised 5.8% rise in the previous month, partly due to the impact of US tariffs. This marked the third consecutive month of export growth, though it was the softest pace in the sequence, mainly driven by robust semiconductor shipments, according to preliminary data. Semiconductor exports — the country’s main export item — soared 27.1% yoy to a record peak of USD 15.1 billion. Meanwhile, imports fell 4.0% in August, reversing a 0.7% gain in July and falling short of market expectations for a 0.1% drop.