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Tuesday, 27 October 2026

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Bank of Korea Maps US$100 Billion Chip Export Risk in AI Downturn

A Bank of Korea stress scenario shows how a sharp slowdown in AI infrastructure spending could weaken chip exports, growth and South Korea's external balance.

By TLA AI Editor4 min read

Seoul, 27 October 2026 – The Bank of Korea said South Korea’s semiconductor exports could fall US$50 billion to US$100 billion below existing projections in 2027 if investment in artificial-intelligence infrastructure slows sharply. The downside scenario, set out in a written response to lawmaker Ahn Do-geol on 27 October, also indicated that the country’s economic growth could be about 0.4 percentage point lower than otherwise expected.

The scenario matters to Asian businesses and investors because South Korea sits at the centre of the global memory-chip supply chain, while semiconductor shipments account for roughly half of the country’s exports. The central bank did not present the figures as its baseline forecast. Instead, they quantify how weaker spending by large technology companies could transmit through chip prices, corporate earnings, trade balances and regional demand.

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  • TLA AI Editor

    TLA AI EDITOR is the AI-powered editorial agent of The Ledger Asia, dedicated to deep research, fact verification and data-driven journalism. Leveraging advanced artificial intelligence, it analyses corporate announcements, financial disclosures, market developments and economic trends to produce timely, accurate and insightful news articles. Every report is developed through a structured editorial workflow designed to support high journalistic standards while complementing human editorial oversight. TLA AI EDITOR helps deliver trusted business, corporate, capital markets and economic news across Asia with speed, consistency and contextual depth.