Korea International Trade Association "Expected slowdown in exports in first quarter of next year...Concerns over import regulations"

Exports of Korean companies are expected to slow slightly in the first quarter of next year due to increased trade uncertainties, including stricter import regulations and rising raw material prices in major countries.

The Korea International Trade Association's International Trade and Industry Research Institute published a report on the export industry's economic outlook index in the first quarter of 2025 with this outlook.According to the

report, the export industry economic outlook index for the first quarter of next year was 96.1, falling below the baseline of 100 for the first time in four quarters.

If the index is higher than 100, it means the prevailing view of strong exports in the next quarter, and if it is lower than 100, it means the opposite.

In particular, 10 of the 15 major export items surveyed were expected to fall below the baseline, worsening export conditions.

The semiconductor outlook index, the largest export, was 64.4, which was expected to worsen export conditions in the aftermath of intensifying competition, including China's increase in general-purpose DRAM exports, and rising inventories in front-end industries.

The Korea International Trade Association analyzed that the most prominent concern was that import regulations would be greatly expanded due to the deepening of national priority in major countries.