Fueled by the artificial intelligence (AI) craze, the global demand for memory chips has witnessed a significant upswing. In the first quarter of 2026, the export volume of South Korea's top five companies, including industry giants like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, soared to USD 95.7 billion. This impressive figure accounted for 43.5% of South Korea's total export volume, marking a notable 14.8 percentage point increase from the same period in 2025. On a year-on-year basis, these companies' export volume surged by USD 50 billion, contributing a substantial 82.8% to the nation's export growth during the same timeframe. This trend underscores the growing reliance of South Korea's export-driven economy on its leading technology firms.
