Seoul, Jan. 2 -- South Korea's outbound shipments surpassed the USD 700 billion mark for the first time in 2025, driven primarily by robust global demand for semiconductors and record automobile sales.

According to a report by Pulse, the English service of Maeil Business News Korea, data released by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Thursday showed that the country's exports grew 3.8 per cent to reach USD 709.7 billion last year. This milestone makes South Korea the sixth nation globally to exceed the USD 700 billion threshold in annual exports.

The surge in export volume contributed to a significant improvement in the national trade balance. The trade surplus for 2025 stood at USD 78 billion, representing an increase of USD...