In October 2025, South Korea experienced a significant downturn in its industrial production, which declined by 4% compared to the previous month. This drop was more pronounced than the 1.1% decrease observed in September and fell short of market predictions, which anticipated a 0.2% decline. Marking the most substantial contraction since July of the previous year, this decrease was largely attributed to the effects of evolving global trade policies, which adversely affected crucial export sectors such as semiconductors, automobiles, and electronic components. When analyzed on a year-over-year basis, industrial output plummeted by 8.1% in October, a stark contrast to the 11.9% growth reported in September and the most dramatic decrease since April 2023.