The South Korean economy, widely regarded as a 'global economic canary,' is expected to achieve a 15th consecutive monthly increase in overall exports in December. This growth is largely attributed to the surge in demand for semiconductors, driven in part by the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. South Korea's semiconductor industry, dominated by leading players Hyundai Mobis and Samsung Electronics, is poised to continue its rapid expansion, serving as the core engine driving the country's export growth. However, economists warn that the market's concerns over the potential imposition of tariffs by the US government may dampen the country's export growth trajectory in the coming year.