Coral and similar materials, etc.: South Korea exports and imports
HS 0508 · 산호와 이와 유사한 물품(가공하지 않은 것과 단순히 정리한 것으로 한정하며, 더 이상의 가공을 한 것은 제외한다), 연체동물ㆍ갑각류ㆍ극피동물의 껍데기와 오징어뼈(가공하지 않은 것과 단순히 정리한 것으로 한정하며, 특정한 모양으로 깎은 것은 제외한다)와 이들의 가루와 웨이스트(waste) · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $126,915 of coral and similar materials, etc. (HS 0508), up 345.8% from September 2026 and up 40.0% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of coral and similar materials, etc. (HS 0508) totalled $1.7 million, up 5.0% from the 12 months before ($1.6 million).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was China ($739,528, 44.2% of the total), followed by Japan and Thailand.
That was 2.1% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 05 (other products of animal origin) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $470,164 (up 379.3% from October 2025), leaving a deficit of $343,249 for the month.
Official description of HS 0508: Coral and similar materials, unworked or simply prepared but not otherwise worked; shells of molluscs, crustaceans or echinoderms and cuttle-bone, unworked or simply prepared but not cut to shape, powder and waste thereof.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 0508
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0508.00 | Coral and similar materials, unworked or simply prepared but not otherwise worked; shells of molluscs, crustaceans or ec | $1.7M | 100.0% | +5.0% | $127K |
| 0508.00.1000 | Coral | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 0508.00.2010 | Mother of pearl shells | $0 | 0.0% | -100.0% | $0 |
| 0508.00.2020 | Abalone shells | $80K | 4.8% | -34.4% | $4,893 |
| 0508.00.2030 | Oyster shells | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 0508.00.2040 | Snail shells | $12K | 0.7% | – | $0 |
| 0508.00.2060 | Agoya shells | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 0508.00.2090 | Other | $631 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 0508.00.9000 | Other | $1.6M | 94.5% | +13.4% | $122K |
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. 11 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 | China | $740K | 44.2% | +38.7% | 2 | $57K |
| 2 | Japan | $523K | 31.3% | -17.6% | 1 | $53K |
| 3 | Thailand | $173K | 10.3% | +27.3% | 4 | $0 |
| 4 | Vietnam | $133K | 8.0% | -22.3% | 3 | $8,408 |
| 5 | Indonesia | $46K | 2.7% | -44.4% | 5 | $0 |
| 6 | France | $38K | 2.3% | – | 7 | $0 |
| 7 | Taiwan | $11K | 0.7% | -31.0% | 6 | $8,502 |
| 8 | Türkiye | $8,800 | 0.5% | – | – | $0 |
| 9 | United States | $27 | 0.0% | – | 9 | $0 |
| – | Chile | $0 | 0.0% | – | 10 | $0 |
| – | India | $0 | 0.0% | – | 8 | $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 | $127K | +40.0% | 92.7 t | $1.37 | $470K | 782 t |
| September 2026 | $28K | -68.1% | 19.6 t | $1.45 | $203K | 577 t |
| August 2026 | $78K | +195.7% | 36.9 t | $2.11 | $333K | 915 t |
| July 2026 | $159K | +14.9% | 192 t | $0.83 | $422K | 911 t |
| June 2026 | $126K | +29.9% | 89.6 t | $1.41 | $443K | 859 t |
| May 2026 | $137K | -31.7% | 89.4 t | $1.53 | $458K | 922 t |
| April 2026 | $235K | +13.5% | 170 t | $1.38 | $443K | 544 t |
| March 2026 | $137K | -16.8% | 137 t | $1.00 | $401K | 554 t |
| February 2026 | $109K | -31.4% | 97.0 t | $1.12 | $324K | 475 t |
| January 2026 | $250K | +361.6% | 215 t | $1.16 | $426K | 522 t |
| December 2025 | $111K | -48.7% | 99.1 t | $1.12 | $597K | 1,443 t |
| November 2025 | $175K | +17.0% | 97.3 t | $1.80 | $301K | 641 t |
| October 2025 | $91K | -49.6% | 36.0 t | $2.52 | $98K | 196 t |
| September 2025 | $89K | +20.7% | 86.9 t | $1.03 | $390K | 490 t |
| August 2025 | $26K | -55.1% | 18.8 t | $1.40 | $202K | 385 t |
| July 2025 | $138K | +39.1% | 98.8 t | $1.40 | $359K | 1,023 t |
| June 2025 | $97K | -35.0% | 89.8 t | $1.08 | $326K | 657 t |
| May 2025 | $201K | -20.7% | 104 t | $1.92 | $398K | 547 t |
| April 2025 | $207K | +27.0% | 150 t | $1.37 | $315K | 588 t |
| March 2025 | $165K | -17.5% | 146 t | $1.13 | $258K | 455 t |
| February 2025 | $159K | -2.9% | 155 t | $1.02 | $174K | 268 t |
| January 2025 | $54K | -71.7% | 13.3 t | $4.07 | $380K | 674 t |
| December 2024 | $216K | +66.8% | 174 t | $1.24 | $350K | 923 t |
| November 2024 | $149K | -38.1% | 66.1 t | $2.26 | $280K | 502 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.