Thoughts on Korean Business by Don Southerton

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  KOREA-US-Global INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING Monday, August 3, 2026     Listen to the audio version HEADLINE Korea posts a record chip-driven July export month TOP STORY Korea's July exports came in at $98.9 billion, with semiconductor shipments topping $40 billion for a second straight month. Meanwhile, the won has weakened against the dollar. For US buyers of Korean components, this currency move partly offsets tariff costs . SECTOR WATCH Semiconductors:   Samsung and SK Hynix are moving toward large long-term supply agreements with major US technology buyers, which will lock in AI memory volume ahead of the tariff step. The unresolved exposure is China, where Korean firms' ability to run their existing fabs still depends on US license posture. Automotive:   Hyundai , Kia , and Genesis vehicles built in Alabama and Georgia sit outside the import tariff entirely, which keeps widening the margin gap between their US-built and Korea-built lines. BCW TAKE Clie...