{"id":66502,"date":"2026-08-13T22:38:17","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T02:38:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-markets-ai-demand-drives-record-korean-exports-as-us-targets-trade-fraud\/66502\/"},"modified":"2026-08-13T22:38:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T02:38:17","slug":"global-markets-ai-demand-drives-record-korean-exports-as-us-targets-trade-fraud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-markets-ai-demand-drives-record-korean-exports-as-us-targets-trade-fraud\/66502\/","title":{"rendered":"Global Markets: AI Demand Drives Record Korean Exports as US Targets Trade Fraud"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>South Korea&#39;s ICT exports surged 140.6% in July to $53.4 billion<\/strong>, fueled by an insatiable global appetite for <strong>AI-related semiconductors<\/strong> and high-capacity storage.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The White House released &quot;The Great Transshipment Scam&quot; report<\/strong>, alleging that Chinese exporters evade <strong>$19 billion to $26 billion<\/strong> in annual U.S. tariffs by routing goods through 40+ countries.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The Japanese Yen (\u00a5) erased nearly half of its recent intervention gains<\/strong>, sliding back toward <strong>\u00a5160 per dollar<\/strong> as market participants test the resolve of U.S. and Japanese authorities.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Philippines Central Bank Governor Eli Remolona Jr.<\/strong> signaled a potential pivot, noting that <strong>disappointing 2.3% GDP growth<\/strong> may allow for a less aggressive stance on inflation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>South Korea\u2019s AI Chip Boom Hits Record Highs<\/h2>\n<p>South Korea\u2019s information and communication technology (ICT) sector posted its strongest July on record, with exports jumping <strong>140.6% year-on-year to $53.4 billion<\/strong>. This massive growth was spearheaded by <strong>semiconductor shipments<\/strong>, which more than doubled as global tech giants ramped up investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p>Heavyweights Samsung Electronics (<a href=\"\/stock\/SMSN\">SMSN<\/a>) and SK Hynix (<a href=\"\/stock\/000660\">000660<\/a>) remain the primary beneficiaries of this &quot;AI supercycle.&quot; Demand for <strong>High Bandwidth Memory (HBM)<\/strong> and <strong>Solid-State Drives (SSDs)<\/strong>\u2014the latter of which saw exports triple\u2014has pushed South Korea&#39;s ICT trade surplus to a staggering <strong>$35.1 billion<\/strong> for the month.<\/p>\n<h2>US Unveils &quot;Great Transshipment Scam&quot; Report<\/h2>\n<p>The Trump administration has escalated trade tensions with Beijing, accusing Chinese firms of orchestrating a global network to bypass U.S. import duties. A new 25-page White House report claims that <strong>$75 billion in goods<\/strong> are illegally transshipped annually through nations like <strong>Mexico, India, and Vietnam<\/strong> to &quot;launder&quot; their Chinese origin.<\/p>\n<p>The report, authored by trade adviser <strong>Peter Navarro<\/strong>, estimates these practices cost the U.S. Treasury up to <strong>$26 billion in lost revenue<\/strong> and displace roughly <strong>450,000 American jobs<\/strong>. Washington announced plans to deploy <strong>AI-based customs enforcement<\/strong> to track &quot;shadow networks&quot; and scrutinize shipments from 40 flagged jurisdictions, including the European Union and South Korea.<\/p>\n<h2>Currency Volatility: Yen Slides, Peso Eyes Easing<\/h2>\n<p>The Japanese Yen (<a href=\"\/stock\/USDJPY\">USD\/JPY<\/a>) faced renewed downward pressure, falling roughly <strong>1% to \u00a5159.43 per dollar<\/strong> this week. The decline suggests that the <strong>$87 billion coordinated intervention<\/strong> by Tokyo and Washington in early August is losing its &quot;shock value&quot; as traders refocus on the wide interest rate differential between the U.S. and Japan.<\/p>\n<p>In Southeast Asia, the <strong>Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)<\/strong> is navigating a complex balancing act. Governor <strong>Eli Remolona Jr.<\/strong> acknowledged that while inflation remains a concern, the &quot;disappointing&quot; <strong>2.3% second-quarter GDP growth<\/strong>\u2014the lowest since the pandemic\u2014provides a window to relax the current aggressive tightening cycle. Markets are now pricing in a higher probability of a <strong>policy pause<\/strong> at the upcoming August 27 meeting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways South Korea&#39;s ICT exports surged 140.6% in July to $53.4 billion, fueled by an insatiable global appetite for 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