[DigitalToday reporter Jin-ho Lee (이진호)] Last month, information and communications technology (ICT) exports totalled $42.71 billion, up 125.9% from the same month a year earlier. Imports rose 33.3% to $16.16 billion. The result was a trade surplus of $26.55 billion.

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced the April 2026 ICT export and import trends on May 14.

In April, ICT exports exceeded $40 billion for a second consecutive month for the first time on record, even amid the war situation in the Middle East. It was the second-highest monthly total on record, following March. ICT exports accounted for 49.7% of the country's total exports of $85.89 billion, supporting overall shipments.

By major item in April, exports increased for semiconductors, up 173.3%, mobile phones, up 14.0%, computers and peripherals, up 430.0%, and communications equipment, up 9.9%. Display exports fell 5.3%.

April semiconductor exports came to $31.91 billion, supported by memory oversupply demand and a rising price trend driven by ongoing expansion in investment in AI servers. Semiconductors topped $30 billion in exports for a second consecutive month for the first time on record.

Mobile phone exports were $1.36 billion. An expansion in exports of finished products and strong sales of high value-added parts such as camera modules drove the increase in mobile phone exports.

Exports of computers and peripherals reached $4.26 billion, supported by expanded demand for semiconductor-based storage devices (SSDs) for AI servers and higher unit prices. It surpassed $4 billion for the first time, posting the biggest performance on record across all periods.

Communications equipment exports, at $220 million, rebounded for the first time in 3 months on strong demand for communications equipment parts for Vietnam and wired telecommunications equipment for Japan. Display exports, meanwhile, were tallied at $1.44 billion, as overall shipments declined on slowing downstream demand due to the impact of rising semiconductor prices.

By region, exports rose to all major countries, including the United States, up 294.2%, China including Hong Kong, up 132.1%, Taiwan, up 89.4%, Vietnam, up 89.3%, India, up 86.5%, the European Union, up 58.4%, and Japan, up 42.5%.

Last month, ICT imports rose 33.3% from a year earlier, when they were $12.12 billion, as major items broadly increased, including semiconductors, up 53.2%, displays, up 15.1%, mobile phones including parts, up 10.6%, computers and peripherals, up 27.0%, and communications equipment, up 14.6%.