Data released by the South Korean government on Thursday showed that the country’s exports grew for the seventh consecutive month in December, with annual exports for 2025 surpassing $700 billion for the first time, setting a new record high. Trade data indicated that South Korea’s exports in December rose 13.4% year-on-year to $69.58 billion, exceeding the median forecast of 9.0%. South Korea’s export data is viewed as a barometer of global trade. Imports in December rose 4.6% year-on-year to $57.40 billion. For the full year of 2025, exports grew 3.8% to $709.7 billion.