It was announced that in June, information and communication technology ( ICT ) exports increased by 0.2% year-on-year to $ 13.95 billion , while imports decreased by 2.4% to $ 7.28 billion , resulting in a trade surplus of $ 6.67 billion .

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that exports of key items, such as mobile phones and system semiconductors, increased despite difficult conditions including the contraction of the global ICT market and worsening trade conditions .

ICT exports increased slightly for two consecutive months ( 2.0% in May, 0.2% in June) . By item, mobile phones ($2.25 billion , 19.4%↑), semiconductors ($5.31 billion , 3.0%↑), and computers and peripherals ($580 million , 6.9%↑) increased , but display panels ($2.06 billion , △12.7%) and digital TVs ( hereinafter 'D-TV'/ $360 million , △36.0%) decreased .

Mobile phones recorded double-digit growth (19.4%↑) for two consecutive months, driven by increased exports of parts such as strategic smartphones ( Galaxy S6, G4) and mobile processors (AP) from domestic companies . Looking at exports by item, smartphones increased by 31.9% to $ 960 million , and parts increased by 12.3% to $ 1.27 billion .

While memory semiconductor exports decreased due to falling unit prices of DRAM and the shift of NAND flash exports to next-generation storage devices ( hereinafter SSDs) , system semiconductor exports increased by more than 10% due to an increase in back-end process export volumes for mobile semiconductors .

Exports of computers and peripherals increased for four consecutive months due to the technological superiority of SSDs and the increasing adoption rate of SSDs in computers and servers . Exports of display panels decreased due to the expansion of overseas production and a decline in the unit price of small and medium-sized panels .

China ( including Hong Kong , $7.41 billion , 2.7%↑) and ASEAN (ASEAN: $2.0 billion , 17.3%↑) , which are the top two export regions and major production bases for domestic companies, saw an increase in exports centered on components such as mobile phone parts and semiconductors .

Exports to the United States ($1.51 billion , 22.6%↑) increased, centered on mobile phones ($570 million , 17.7%↑) and semiconductors ($350 million , 54.4%↑, centered on memory semiconductors ) . The European Union (US$830 million , △16.9%) recorded a decline in exports of ICT items across the board, including display panels and digital televisions ( hereinafter D-TV), due to economic stagnation and the weak euro .

ICT imports decreased year-on-year for the first time this year.

By item, computers and peripherals ($700 million , △34.1%) and D-TVs ($30 million , △17.5%) decreased , while mobile phones ($690 million , 34.9%↑) and semiconductors ($2.99 billion , 0.6%↑) increased .

Mobile phone imports increased significantly as the volume of reverse imports of foreign smartphones such as iPhones and mobile phone components ( organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), touch panels, etc. ) increased . Semiconductor imports increased due to the import of system semiconductors and the expansion of reverse imports for the post-processing of NAND flash produced overseas .

By region, imports from China ( including Hong Kong , $2.58 billion , △6.1%), ASEAN ($960 million , △17.5%), and the European Union ( $540 million , △34.9%) decreased , while imports from the United States ($740 million , 6.5%↑) increased .

Imports from China ( including Hong Kong ) increased for mobile phones ( iPhones, etc. , $500 million , 29.5%↑) , but thisIt fell due to a decrease in imports of play panels ($200 million , △10.8%), semiconductors ($670 million , △7.9%), and computers and peripherals ($380 million , △24.8%) .

ASEAN saw a decrease in imports, mainly of semiconductors ($400 million , △41.9%), as it shifted to domestic production of system semiconductors, such as mobile processors (AP), which were previously imported through Singapore and other sources .

The United States saw a decrease in semiconductors ($320 million , △5.9%), but an increase in imports centered on medical precision instruments ($210 million , 24.5%↑) and computers and peripherals ($50 million , 20.9%↑) .

In June , the ICT balance recorded a surplus of $ 6.67 billion due to surpluses in key items such as semiconductors , mobile phones , and display panels , contributing to the achievement of an overall balance surplus ($10.24 billion ) .

Regarding China ( including Hong Kong , $4.82 billion , largest surplus country ), the European Union ($290 million ), and the United States ($770 million ) , continuouslyThe ICT trade balance continues to show a surplus trend . With regard to Japan, a trade deficit was recorded (a deficit of $360 million ) .

Meanwhile, in the first half of 2015, ICT exports fell 0.2% year-on-year to $ 83.59 billion , while imports increased 4.1% to $ 43.97 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $ 39.62 billion .