The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) announced that Korea’s exports in 2025 reached USD 709.7 billion, up 3.8 percent year-on-year, marking the first time exports surpassed $700 billion and the highest annual performance on record. Daily average exports also climbed 4.6 percent from the previous year to a record $2.64 billion.
Korea’s imports in 2025 stood at $631.7 billion, remaining broadly flat (down 0.02 percent year-on-year) as non-energy imports—including semiconductor manufacturing equipment—increased and energy imports declined amid falling global oil prices. The trade balance posted a surplus of $78.0 billion, extending the surplus streak to 11 consecutive months and improving by $26.2 billion year-on-year. This marked Korea’s largest trade surplus since 2017, when the surplus stood at $95.2 billion.
Exports continued to be driven by its core industries—including semiconductors, automobiles, and ships—while electrical equipment, agricultural and fishery products, and cosmetics each recorded their highest export values on record, emerging as new growth drivers.
By destination, exports became more diversified, with reliance on the United States and China decreasing and exports to ASEAN, Latin America, and the CIS increasing.
In 2025, exports increased in six of Korea’s 15 key export items, alongside solid growth in promising items outside the top 15, including electrical equipment, agricultural and fishery products, and cosmetics.
Exports of semiconductors, Korea’s largest export item, rose 22.2 percent year-on-year to an all-time high of $173.4 billion, supported by solid demand from AI data centers and a sharp rise in fixed prices for memory chips. Monthly semiconductor exports set new highs for nine consecutive months beginning in April.
Automobile exports totaled $72.0 billion, up 1.7 percent, setting a new record (previously $70.9 billion in 2023). While exports to the U.S.—the largest market—declined due to tariff impacts, shipments to the EU and the CIS rose on strong demand for hybrid vehicles and used cars.
Bio-health exports rose 7.9 percent to $16.3 billion, extending their growth streak for a second consecutive year. Ship exports surged 24.9 percent to $32.0 billion, while exports of computers ($13.8 billion, up 4.5 percent) and wireless communication devices ($17.3 billion, up 0.4 percent) also increased.
Meanwhile, exports of items outside the top 15 increased 5.5 percent to $157.4 billion, marking a new high and further diversifying Korea’s export portfolio. Exports of agricultural and fishery products, cosmetics, and electrical equipment reached record highs, reflecting growing global demand for K-food and K-beauty products as well as rising electricity demand worldwide.
By contrast, exports of petroleum products declined due to lower unit prices, while exports of petrochemicals and steel fell amid declining product prices caused by global oversupply.
Exports expanded in six of Korea’s nine major export markets in 2025.
Exports to China, Korea’s largest export destination, declined 1.7 percent to $130.8 billion, as decreases in petrochemicals, wireless communication devices, and general machinery offset solid semiconductor exports.
Exports to the U.S. fell 3.8 percent to $122.9 billion, reflecting declines in automobiles, general machinery, and auto parts. However, double-digit growth in semiconductor exports helped moderate the overall decline. Korea’s trade surplus with the U.S. stood at $49.5 billion, down $6.1 billion from 2024.
Exports to ASEAN rose 7.4 percent to $122.5 billion, driven by semiconductors, raising ASEAN’s share of total exports from 16.7 percent in 2024 to 17.3 percent in 2025.
Exports to the EU rose 3.0 percent to a record high of $70.1 billion, led by automobiles and ships, with broad-based growth across general machinery and semiconductors.
Exports to the CIS recorded the highest growth among the nine major markets, rising 18.6 percent to $13.7 billion, supported by double-digit growth in automobile exports. Exports to India increased 2.9 percent to a record high of $19.2 billion, led by semiconductors, steel, and general machinery.
Exports to the Middle East ($20.4 billion, up 3.8 percent) posted growth for the fifth consecutive year, while exports to Latin America ($31.0 billion, up 6.9 percent) extended their growth streak to a second consecutive year.
As for December 2025, exports rose 13.4 percent year-on-year to $69.6 billion, while imports increased 4.6 percent to $57.4 billion. The trade balance posted a surplus of $12.2 billion.
Exports reached a record high for December, marking the seventh consecutive months of achieving monthly record highs. Daily average exports rose 8.7 percent to $2.90 billion, also the highest on record for the month.
Imports totaled $57.4 billion, up 4.6 percent. While energy imports declined 6.8 percent to $9.8 billion, non-energy imports increased 7.3 percent to $47.6 billion. The trade surplus improved by $5.7 billion year-on-year, marking the 11th consecutive month of surplus.