The biggest trade deficit in 66 years... Semiconductor also broke after 26 months

<Anchor>

Another bad news has been delivered to our economy, which is turning on red every day.

Last month, it recorded the biggest deficit for the first time in 66 years since the trade statistics were written, and even semiconductors, which have been responsible for exports, have collapsed in 26 months. 

This is reporter Jeong Hye-jin.

<Reporter> In

the stock market, semiconductor-related stocks such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix were unable to escape the decline.

The same was true for semiconductor stocks such as Nvidia, AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm in the US market.

Shares of semiconductor companies have been on a downtrend since the beginning of this year.

A cold wave is already hitting the global semiconductor market due to a decrease in demand and a drop in DRAM prices.

As a result of this influence, semiconductors, which were the backbone of our exports, turned to a decline for the first time in 26 months.

[Moon Dong-min/Director of Trade and Investment Department, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy: In the semiconductor sector, it is clear that China's demand for semiconductors is slowing down, and as international semiconductor prices have fallen as a result of the slowdown, a decrease in semiconductor exports is coupled with a decrease in Chinese exports. )]

Semiconductor exports declined, but the increase in imports of semiconductor parts, equipment, and raw materials from Japan and China also fueled the deterioration of the semiconductor balance.

On the other hand, imports hit an all-time high as energy prices skyrocketed due to instability in the international situation.

Exports have decreased and imports have risen sharply, threatening the $10 billion trade deficit.

It is the biggest deficit in 66 years since the last trade statistics were compiled in 1956.

[Young-moo Cho / Research Fellow, LG Business Research Institute: Since most of the ( trade

deficit) is due to external factors, it is expected that it will be quite difficult for the Korean government or policy authorities to step forward and improve the situation.]

Falling prices and high energy prices were cited as the three major trade risks.

It has announced that it will increase export competitiveness by increasing trade finance and expanding cooperation with China, but it is evaluated that it does not seem to have an immediate effect.