en.Wedoany.com Reported - South Korea's semiconductor exports are experiencing a trend where shipment volumes decline while export values surge sharply, with high-value memory chips such as HBM and DDR5 serving as the main drivers of export growth.

According to the latest data from the Korea International Trade Association, South Korea's total semiconductor export volume in April this year was 3,242 tons, down 11.9% year-on-year; however, export value during the same period reached $31.895 billion, up 173.5% year-on-year, with export revenue more than doubling compared to the same period last year. Memory chips account for approximately 75% of South Korea's total semiconductor exports, far exceeding the shares of system semiconductors (20%) and wafers/components (5%), making price fluctuations in memory chips significantly impact overall exports.

Data from South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy shows that in May, South Korea's total exports exceeded $80 billion for the third consecutive month, setting a new monthly record. Among these, semiconductor exports reached $37.2 billion, up 169.4% year-on-year, surpassing $30 billion for the third consecutive month. DRAM exports hit $18.6 billion, up 369.8% year-on-year; NAND exports stood at $1.7 billion, up 206.8% year-on-year. Computer exports rose to $4.2 billion, up 290.7% year-on-year. Excluding semiconductors, exports grew by 16.0%.

This growth momentum continued into June. The Korea Customs Service announced that in the first 10 days of June, South Korea's total exports reached $28.6 billion, up 85.9% year-on-year. Semiconductor exports, led by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, increased by approximately 30% compared to the same period last month.

In terms of export markets, South Korea's exports to China grew by 101.4% in May, while exports to the United States and Vietnam rose by 54.4% and 102.9%, respectively, and exports to the European Union increased by 46%. The three major export markets—China, the United States, and Vietnam—accounted for a combined 47.3%.

Looking at export value per unit weight, this indicator increased by 3.1 times compared to the same period last year, driven primarily by next-generation server DRAM and HBM products. Taking the server-grade DDR5 16Gb chip as an example, the fixed contract price is approximately $42, a six-fold increase from $6 a year ago. This chip weighs about 0.2 grams, translating to roughly 1,423 yuan per gram, far exceeding the current international spot gold price of about 917.3 yuan per gram.

Industry insiders point out that under capacity constraints, chip manufacturers prioritize production of high-profit products such as HBM, shifting production from DDR4 to HBM3E and DDR5. This trend reduces shipment volumes and export weight but boosts export values, reflecting a tilt toward high-value products amid supply tightness rather than weakening demand.

TrendForce estimates that by the end of 2025, 2026, and 2027, the top three global DRAM suppliers' HBM wafer inputs will account for approximately 18%, 22%, and 30% of their total DRAM wafer inputs, respectively.

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