AI-led chip boom lifts South Korea’s early-February exports 44.4% to $21.4B

South Korea’s exports climbed 44.4% year over year in the first 10 days of February to $21.4 billion as demand for semiconductors linked to artificial intelligence accelerated. Chip shipments reached $6.7 billion, up 137.6%, while lawmakers enacted the AI Basic Act on January 30 addressing safety, deepfakes, misinformation, and mental health concerns.