South Korea's year-to-date exports reached $709.4 billion, or about 951 trillion won, on Sept. 5, surpassing the $709.3 billion recorded during all of last year. The milestone was reached 117 days earlier than last year, in 248 days. Semiconductor exports rose 169.6% from a year earlier to $281.2 billion through August, accounting for 40.6% of total shipments as demand for artificial-intelligence semiconductors and higher memory-chip prices supported Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. August exports rose 69% year on year, extending the run of monthly gains to 15, while every month from January through August set a record for that month. Korea Customs Service Commissioner Lee Jong-wook projected that annual exports could reach $1 trillion around early December if the pace is sustained, which would make South Korea the fourth country to exceed that threshold after the United States, China and Germany. Rising protectionism, supply-chain restructuring and instability in the Middle East remain risks to the outlook.