South Korea's SMEs Hit Record $64 Billion Exports in First Half of 2026
According to Arirang News, South Korea's small and medium-sized enterprises exported $64 billion in the first half of 2026, marking the first time SME exports surpassed the $60 billion threshold for a half-year period. Per the report, this represents a gain of more than 11 percent compared to the same period in 2025, with cosmetics exports rising 30.7 percent. The number of exporting SMEs also reached a record high, increasing more than 2.4 percent year-on-year to 80,490 companies, Arirang News reports.
📹 Source Video
This story is based on a single source with no US mainstream media corroboration. Key claims reflect Arirang News reporting and have not been independently verified by US outlets, though the data originates from official Korean export statistics.
✓ Verified
- ✓South Korea SMEs recorded $64 billion in exports for H1 2026. (Source: Arirang News)
- ✓This marks the first time SME exports exceeded $60 billion for a half-year period. (Source: Arirang News)
- ✓Exports increased more than 11 percent year-over-year. (Source: Arirang News)
- ✓Cosmetics exports rose 30.7 percent. (Source: Arirang News)
~ Interpretation
- ~The growth indicates strengthening global demand for Korean SME products. (Source characterization from Arirang News reporting)
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