Preliminary data released by South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy on Monday revealed that exports in August totaled $58.4 billion, marking a modest year-on-year growth of just 1.3%. This figure fell significantly short of both the revised July growth rate of 5.8% and market projections of 3.7%. Imports, on the other hand, declined by 4.0% year-on-year to $51.89 billion, leading to a trade surplus of $6.51 billion. The lingering impact of US tariff policies is widely regarded as one of the primary factors behind the deceleration in export growth.
