[South Korea's August Exports Continue Strong Growth, AI Demand Drives Chip Boom] Reported by Jinse Finance, on September 1, South Korea's exports in August continued to show strong growth, with demand for artificial intelligence (AI) boosting chip shipments and the overall economy. This is expected to support the Bank of Korea in maintaining its hawkish stance after two consecutive rate hikes. Data released by South Korea's customs office on Tuesday showed that, after adjusting for differences in working days, exports in August increased by 72.5% year-on-year, while imports rose by 22.5%, resulting in a trade surplus of $34.7 billion. Unadjusted export growth was 68.7%, with July's growth rate revised to 63%. Semiconductors remain the primary driver of South Korea's export growth. The data indicates that despite rising energy prices and geopolitical tensions putting pressure on other industries, external demand remains resilient, supporting the Bank of Korea's decision to raise interest rates by 25 basis points for the second consecutive meeting last week.