South Korea's exports climbed 7.6% in the first 20 days of August, led by semiconductors (+30%) and autos (+22%), even as steep US tariffs pressured trade. A last-minute deal lowered tariffs to 15%, though enforcement lags. Exports to the US slipped 2.7%, while China demand rose. Retail sentiment on Stocktwits about the Korea ETF (EWY) was 'bearish.'