Whey and natural milk constituent products: South Korea exports and imports
HS 0404 · 유장(농축한 것인지 또는 설탕이나 그 밖의 감미료를 첨가한 것인지에 상관없다)과 따로 분류된 것 외의 천연밀크의 성분을 함유하는 물품(설탕이나 그 밖의 감미료를 첨가한 것인지에 상관없다) · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $1.8 million of whey and natural milk constituent products (HS 0404), down 12.1% from September 2026 and up 78.2% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of whey and natural milk constituent products (HS 0404) totalled $16.2 million, down 2.3% from the 12 months before ($16.6 million).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was Japan ($16.2 million, 99.7% of the total), followed by the United States and the Philippines.
That was 20.5% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 04 (dairy produce, eggs and honey) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $16.8 million (up 3.2% from October 2025), leaving a deficit of $15.0 million for the month.
Official description of HS 0404: Whey, whether or not concentrated or containing added sugar or other sweetening matter; products consisting of natural milk constituents, whether or not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter, not elsewhere specified or included.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 0404
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0404.10 | Whey and modified whey, whether or not concentrated or containing added sugar or other sweetening matter | $36K | 0.2% | -79.9% | $0 |
| 0404.10.1011 | For feeding | $2,564 | 7.1% | – | $0 |
| 0404.10.1019 | Other | $17K | 46.1% | -87.8% | $0 |
| 0404.10.1091 | For feeding | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 0404.10.1099 | Other | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 0404.10.2111 | For feeding | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 0404.10.2119 | Other | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 0404.10.2121 | For feeding | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 0404.10.2129 | Other | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 0404.10.2131 | For feeding | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 0404.10.2139 | Other | $12K | 33.4% | -68.2% | $0 |
| 0404.10.2191 | For feeding | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 0404.10.2199 | Other | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 0404.10.2910 | For feeding | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 0404.10.2990 | Other | $4,840 | 13.4% | – | $0 |
| 0404.90 | Other | $16.2M | 99.8% | -1.5% | $1.8M |
| 0404.90.1000 | Of a fat content, by weight, not exceeding 1.5 % | $1.8M | 10.9% | +43.6% | $299K |
| 0404.90.2000 | Of a fat content, by weight, exceeding 1.5 % | $14.4M | 89.1% | -5.1% | $1.5M |
Six-digit codes are international; the indented ten-digit codes are South Korea's own subdivision. These rows are world totals; "Share" is the share of the row above.
Top destinations
Export value over the 12 months to October 2026. 10 countries received this product from South Korea in the last 24 months.
| Rank | Country | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | Rank before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan | $16.2M | 99.7% | -1.6% | 1 | $1.8M |
| 2 | United States | $22K | 0.1% | -82.6% | 2 | $0 |
| 3 | Philippines | $17K | 0.1% | +37.3% | 4 | $0 |
| 4 | Vietnam | $15K | 0.1% | – | 5 | $0 |
| 5 | Thailand | $1,608 | 0.0% | – | 7 | $0 |
| 6 | Mongolia | $675 | 0.0% | – | 6 | $0 |
| 7 | Indonesia | $250 | 0.0% | – | 9 | $0 |
| 8 | Russia | $130 | 0.0% | – | – | $0 |
| – | Hong Kong | $0 | 0.0% | – | 8 | $0 |
| – | Taiwan | $0 | 0.0% | -100.0% | 3 | $0 |
Countries are linked when exports of this product to them reached $5,000,000 over 24 months.
Monthly figures
| Month | Exports | vs year earlier | Export weight | Export $/kg | Imports | Import weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | $1.8M | +78.2% | 237 t | $7.74 | $16.8M | 6,835 t |
| September 2026 | $2.1M | +13.9% | 331 t | $6.29 | $18.1M | 6,554 t |
| August 2026 | $755K | +49.8% | 113 t | $6.69 | $16.8M | 7,012 t |
| July 2026 | $1.4M | -35.8% | 160 t | $8.83 | $19.8M | 7,776 t |
| June 2026 | $603K | +197.6% | 76.3 t | $7.91 | $20.2M | 8,341 t |
| May 2026 | $1.0M | -52.1% | 86.9 t | $11.76 | $13.4M | 6,630 t |
| April 2026 | $123K | -94.4% | 32.1 t | $3.83 | $15.1M | 7,025 t |
| March 2026 | $1.5M | -24.1% | 130 t | $11.71 | $17.6M | 7,877 t |
| February 2026 | $2.1M | +16.1% | 271 t | $7.76 | $15.8M | 6,770 t |
| January 2026 | $1.9M | +246.0% | 483 t | $3.98 | $15.5M | 6,154 t |
| December 2025 | $2.1M | +86.3% | 214 t | $9.67 | $14.3M | 6,585 t |
| November 2025 | $786K | -24.6% | 112 t | $7.01 | $8.5M | 3,706 t |
| October 2025 | $1.0M | -20.3% | 87.0 t | $11.80 | $16.3M | 6,405 t |
| September 2025 | $1.8M | -23.8% | 315 t | $5.80 | $18.7M | 8,194 t |
| August 2025 | $504K | -58.6% | 43.2 t | $11.67 | $19.9M | 7,791 t |
| July 2025 | $2.2M | +250.4% | 231 t | $9.51 | $19.8M | 8,967 t |
| June 2025 | $203K | -87.4% | 38.2 t | $5.30 | $10.8M | 5,489 t |
| May 2025 | $2.1M | +44.3% | 330 t | $6.47 | $15.3M | 6,942 t |
| April 2025 | $2.2M | +790.8% | 285 t | $7.72 | $16.6M | 7,487 t |
| March 2025 | $2.0M | +48.3% | 307 t | $6.52 | $15.4M | 6,562 t |
| February 2025 | $1.8M | +37.1% | 413 t | $4.39 | $17.9M | 7,420 t |
| January 2025 | $556K | -64.1% | 70.8 t | $7.86 | $17.4M | 6,399 t |
| December 2024 | $1.1M | +67.0% | 129 t | $8.61 | $13.0M | 5,589 t |
| November 2024 | $1.0M | -41.7% | 94.2 t | $11.07 | $10.6M | 4,276 t |
Exports FOB, imports CIF, US dollars. Weight is net weight. "vs year earlier" compares export value with the same month one year before and is left blank when that month was under $10,000. Source: Korea Customs Service, via data.go.kr.