On February 2, Bum Ki Son, an economist at Barclays, articulated in a report that, propelled by chip exports, South Korea is poised to sustain robust export growth momentum in the first half of 2026. Son highlighted that the significant surge in semiconductor contract prices has been a key driver behind the expansion of South Korea's tech product exports, with the average chip price witnessing a quarter-on-quarter increase of 30% to 40% in the first quarter. He projected that, due to capacity limitations and anticipated supply shortages, chip contract prices will persist in their upward trajectory during the second quarter, and the semiconductor export sector will maintain its vigorous growth momentum in the first half of 2026.
