FX.co ★ South Korea Industrial Output Growth Strongest on Record

South Korea’s industrial production surged 9% month-on-month in September 2026, sharply rebounding from a revised 4.6% decline in August. This marked the strongest monthly increase on record, driven primarily by a turnaround in manufacturing output, which jumped 9.9% after a 4.9% contraction, largely on the back of a 19.2% surge in semiconductor production. Output for overseas markets accelerated (1.4% vs 0.3% previously), while the decline in domestic market production eased significantly (-3.3% vs -5.8%). On a year-on-year basis, industrial production grew 3.6% in September, recovering from a revised 1.7% drop in August, which had been the first annual contraction since May.