South Korea's June Semiconductor Exports Expected to Hit Record High, Securities Firm Raises Profit Forecast for Memory Companies

# South Korean Semiconductor Storage Exports Set for Record High in June Amid AI Demand Surge SEOUL, South Korea – June 22 – Critini Research analyst Jukan cited South Korean IT media outlet The Electronic Times on social media Tuesday, reporting that South Korea’s semiconductor storage exports are on track to hit a historic peak this June. The Electronic Times’ report notes June’s storage exports have maintained robust momentum, with surging artificial intelligence (AI) demand and tight supplies driving a simultaneous jump in both export values and unit prices. Shortages of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) have spilled over into general DRAM, NAND, and solid-state drives (SSDs), pushing total exports projected to exceed May’s previous all-time high of $37.16 billion. Data from South Korea’s Customs Office, released June 22, shows major storage product exports from June 1 to 20 already topped $23 billion – more than 60% of May’s full-month total. Factoring in recent growth trends across all product categories, total June storage exports are forecast to land between $38 billion and $42 billion, marking another record. Analysts add that end-of-month shipments typically boost export volumes further. Every storage product category posted significant gains in both export value and unit price in June, signaling the structural expansion of the AI-driven storage supercycle. HBM alone saw its export value surge 51% from the prior period, fueled by major players like NVIDIA ramping up investments in AI data centers and SK Hynix holding a leading position in the tight supply of HBM3E and HBM4. The shift in wafer production capacity toward HBM has reduced supply of general DRAM, lifting unit prices to two to three times their year-over-year levels. Combined with a recovery in PC and smartphone demand, this has driven a sharp rise in export values. Expansions to AI inference server deployments have also spurred demand for NAND and SSDs, with both categories growing 25% to 28% compared to the prior period. Storage semiconductors now make up 70% to 90% of South Korea’s total semiconductor exports. Combined exports of storage and system semiconductors hit $25.5 billion this month, with overall June semiconductor exports projected to range from $42 billion to $46 billion. The sector’s strong performance has prompted securities firms to lift profit forecasts for storage companies. A research analyst at Hana Financial Investment Corp. analyzed that South Korea’s storage industry is overcoming past weaknesses through long-term supply agreements and its two core advantages in HBM – meaning even if an industry downturn occurs down the line, operating profits will not plummet as severely as they did in previous cycles.