SEOUL, 12th February, 2026 (WAM) -- The Republic of Korea's exports of information and communication technology (ICT) products jumped 78 percent in January from a year earlier, backed by global demand over artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure projects, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Science and ICT on Thursday.
Outbound shipments of ICT products reached US$29 billion, compared with $16.2 billion tallied a year earlier.
This marks the highest export volume for any January, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Imports moved up 20 percent to $14 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $14.9 billion.
The ministry attributed the sharp growth to the rapidly expanding global AI industry, which led to stronger demand for high-performance ICT products.
The ICT products accounted for 44.1 percent of Korea's total monthly exports of $65.8 billion, indicating the sector serves as a key engine for the country's economic growth, it added.
Exports of semiconductor products more than doubled on-year in January to $20.5 billion, buoyed by higher global memory prices and steady demand for premium products.