Record semiconductor shipments lift GDP 0.6% in Q2 but gains remain uneven across economy
A graduate student majoring in semiconductor engineering at Korea University in Seoul works on June 11. The chip sector is powering South Korea’s economy. © Reuters
STEVEN BOROWIEC
July 23, 2026 08:10 JST
Updated on July 23, 2026 11:58 JST
SEOUL — South Korea’s economy expanded in the second quarter of this year as a boom in exports of semiconductors and other IT items continued to drive growth.