South Korea's chip exports hit all-time high in September SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) -South Korea’s semiconductor exports soared to a record high in September, propelling the country’s overall ICT exports to their strongest level ever. According to the Ministry of Science and ICT, ICT exports rose 14 percent on year to $25.43 billion, while imports climbed 10.4 percent to $13.78 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $11.65 billion. Semiconductors accounted for the bulk of outbound shipments, totaling $16.62 billion, up 22 percent from a year earlier, driven by solid demand for high-end memory chips such as DDR5 and high-bandwidth memory (HBM). Exports of telecommunications equipment jumped 38.3 percent to $220 million, fueled by brisk demand for 5G network gear in India. Display exports also edged up 1.3 percent to $1.92 billion, supported by wider adoption of OLED panels in IT devices and stronger sales of smartphones, TVs, and laptops. By contrast, mobile-phone and computer exports fell 10.7 percent and 10.1 percent, respectively, to $1.49 billion and $1.47 billion. Shipments expanded across most markets except the tariff-strong United States. Exports to Taiwan surged 53.5 percent to $4.29 billion, to the European Union rose 22.8 percent to $1.3 billion, and to India jumped 35 percent to $500 million. Exports to China and Vietnam increased 1.1 percent and 20.8 percent, respectively, while those to Japan gained 13 percent to $390 million. Shipments to the United States, however, slipped 4 percent to $2.91 billion. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-14 13:50:28

Homegrown multi-purpose satellite shipped to South America ahead of launch in November SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - A multi-purpose satellite, dubbed "Arirang 7," has been shipped to South America, the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) said on Tuesday. The satellite, equipped with an ultra-high-resolution electro-optical camera, left the KASA in Daejeon on a freight aircraft bound for the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. The homegrown satellite, expected to arrive there on Thursday, is being transported in a specially designed, vibration-free container that protects it from temperature and humidity fluctuations. Upon arrival, the satellite will be integrated with French commercial launch service provider Arianespace's "Vega-C" for a launch planned in late November, after undergoing final checks and preparations. Once launched, the satellite will begin observing the Earth and transmitting high-resolution images and other data, which are expected to be available by early next year. "We will be able to obtain higher-resolution images in a more timely manner, which is expected to be of great help for both the public and private sectors in responding to various natural disasters as well as conducting environmental research," said Kim Jin-hee, a head of KASA's satellite division. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-23 14:19:51