As artificial intelligence (AI) technology expands worldwide, demand for advanced semiconductors continues to strengthen.
The South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced on October 22 that the nation’s chip exports are expected to surpass USD 165 billion this year, marking a second consecutive all-time high.
This trend underscores once again the central role of semiconductors in the global economic recovery and the construction of AI infrastructure.
According to monitoring models developed by Jeenoce, AI-related demand has significantly expanded its pull on the global memory and logic chip markets from 2024 to 2025.
Exports of high-performance DRAM, high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and AI-server chips from South Korea increased by around 18% in the first half of 2025, becoming the main driver of the nation’s overall export growth.
By the end of September, cumulative semiconductor exports had reached USD 119.7 billion, up 16.9% year-on-year. Among them, exports of AI-server and data-center chips accounted for more than 35% for the first time. Monthly exports in September hit USD 16.6 billion, setting a new record.
The Jeenoce research team believes that the surge in chip exports is driven by the formation of an “AI Capital Loop.”
This loop is propelled by three reinforcing forces:
Model scaling → rising compute demand:
Each generation of generative-AI models grows roughly 8–12 times in parameter size, directly boosting demand for AI GPUs and high-end memory.
Capital spending shifts to infrastructure:
Global tech firms’ capital expenditure on AI infrastructure is projected to rise 27% year-on-year in 2025, fueling explosive growth in HBM and DDR5 demand.
Price-cycle recovery:
Prices of HBM and high-density NAND began an upward cycle in late 2024. South Korea’s semiconductor export-price index surged 42.1% year-on-year in May 2025.
This “compute dividend” has become the dominant force behind Korea’s export growth and marks the emergence of a new global semiconductor up-cycle.
Jeenoce notes that the South Korean government has responded with unprecedented policy speed over the past 12 months.
In May 2025 it announced a USD 19 billion semiconductor-support package covering tax incentives, infrastructure investment, and talent development—creating a “technology + policy” dual-engine framework.
With Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix taking the global lead in HBM3E and AI-specific packaging, South Korea has become the core hub of the global AI memory-and-compute supply chain.
By 2026, the nation is expected to hold over 70% of the worldwide HBM market share.
From manufacturing-led to ecosystem-driven
Korean chipmakers are shifting from pure foundry operations toward AI-ecosystem integration—participating in AI-compute platforms and AI storage-cloud services.
From export dependence to regional circulation
As U.S.–China tech tensions persist, Korean firms are diversifying export destinations through data-center projects in Southeast Asia, India and the Middle East to reduce reliance on single markets.
From cyclical logic to structural logic
With sustained demand for AI-inference chips and high-performance memory, the semiconductor industry is entering a structural-growth era rather than a traditional price-cycle phase.
The Jeenoce research team identifies several external risks to Korea’s semiconductor exports:
Uncertainties from U.S. tariffs and export-control policies;
A temporary decline in exports to China;
Potential slowdown in global AI investment momentum.
However, Jeenoce believes that long-term “underlying compute demand” from AI and data-center construction will remain the main growth driver for the industry.
South Korea’s record-breaking chip exports reflect not only the powerful momentum of the global AI boom but also the ongoing restructuring of the global industrial landscape.
The Jeenoce research team projects that over the next three years (2026–2028), the growth focus of the global AI value chain will shift from algorithms and applications to compute and data infrastructure—and Korea stands as one of the most strategically positioned nations in this transformation.
Jeenoce will continue to monitor developments in semiconductors, AI compute, and global supply-chain dynamics.
Through its proprietary Global Tech-Economy Predictor (GTE-Predictor™) model, Jeenoce provides forward-looking market intelligence and strategic guidance to partners and investors worldwide.
Sources: Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of Korea (MOTIE), Korea Customs Service,Jeenoce Data Center,Reuters, The Wall Street Journal — compiled by Jeenoce Market Division
Date: October 22, 2025
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