Overall, South Korean manufacturing output increased in July. But US tariffs appeared to have different impacts by industry. They led to an output increase in electronic goods, boosted to front-loading to avoid potential sectoral tariffs, and declines in auto output.
The launch of the new mobile phone models increased the output quite sharply by 13.3%. Computers and other electronic devices gained ground strongly. Semiconductor output actually slid 3.6%, though this was probably related to inventory adjustments as stockpile dropped 9%.
The biggest impact of the US tariffs is on the motor sector. Output dropped 7.3%, falling three months out of four, while shipments also dropped 7.1%. A 25% auto tariff is expected to weigh on the industry going forward.