South Korea's cumulative exports reached $709.4 billion as of 1 p.m. Saturday, surpassing the prior full-year record of $709.3 billion set in 2025. Korea Customs Service Commissioner Lee Jong-wook attributed continued growth to semiconductor shipments and projected a possible $1 trillion annual total by early December. The Bank of Korea raised its 2026 growth forecast to 3.3 percent amid these developments.