Middle East Crisis
South Korea's March exports hit $86.13 billion, all-time high
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South Korea's exports reached $86.13 billion in March, breaching the $80 billion mark for the first time ever. According to data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, this represents a 48.3 percent increase from a year earlier. Record semiconductor shipments drove the surge.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) kept its 2026 growth forecast for South Korea unchanged at 1.9 percent despite the Middle East crisis. The institution raised its inflation outlook for this year by 0.7 percentage point to 2.5 percent, citing rising global oil prices. The Ministry of Economy and Finance said strong exports and effects from a supplementary budget kept the growth outlook steady.
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Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is urging the government to mobilize an inter-agency response to protect jobs and provide financial lifelines to micro, small, and medium enterprises struggling from the economic fallout of the Middle East conflict. He warns that the current fuel crisis will severely impact the labor market.
The Korean won fell to a nearly two-month low against the U.S. dollar on Friday amid persistent volatility in financial markets due to the Middle East crisis. At 3:30 p.m., the won was quoted at 1,476.4 per dollar, down 8.3 won from the previous session and marking its weakest level since January 20. The Bank of Korea stated it is closely monitoring developments and preparing responses as volatility could continue depending on the situation.
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South Korean stocks pared early losses to close nearly unchanged on Friday amid the ongoing Middle East crisis stemming from the Iran conflict. The KOSPI index ended at 5,584.87, up 0.02 percent, while the won weakened against the U.S. dollar. Autos and defense shares led the gains.