Medicinal and perfumery plants (including ginseng roots): South Korea exports and imports
HS 1211 · 주로 향료용ㆍ의료용ㆍ살충용ㆍ살균용과 그 밖에 이와 유사한 용도에 적합한 식물과 그 부분(종자와 과실을 포함하고, 신선한 것ㆍ냉장한 것ㆍ냉동한 것ㆍ건조한 것에 한정하며, 절단하거나 잘게 부순 것인지 또는 가루로 된 것인지에 상관없다) · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $12.8 million of medicinal and perfumery plants (including ginseng roots) (HS 1211), up 69.0% from September 2026 and up 22.5% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of medicinal and perfumery plants (including ginseng roots) (HS 1211) totalled $70.8 million, down 20.2% from the 12 months before ($88.7 million).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was China ($28.0 million, 39.5% of the total), followed by Japan and Hong Kong.
That was 10.8% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 12 (oil seeds, grains, seeds and medicinal plants) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $9.4 million (up 35.9% from October 2025), leaving a surplus of $3.5 million for the month.
Official description of HS 1211: Plants and parts of plants (including seeds and fruits), of a kind used primarily in perfumery, in pharmacy or for insecticidal, fungicidal or similar purposes, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not cut, crushed or powdered.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 1211
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1211.20 | Ginseng roots | $51.2M | 72.3% | -24.7% | $5.6M |
| 1211.20.1110 | Wild-simulated ginseng | $8,908 | 0.0% | -89.4% | $0 |
| 1211.20.1120 | Ginseng sprout | $12K | 0.0% | -23.1% | $0 |
| 1211.20.1190 | Other | $1.9M | 3.8% | +30.7% | $222K |
| 1211.20.1211 | Major roots | $336K | 0.7% | +339.3% | $540 |
| 1211.20.1219 | Other | $2,794 | 0.0% | -89.5% | $0 |
| 1211.20.1291 | Major roots | $1.3M | 2.5% | -10.0% | $4,530 |
| 1211.20.1299 | Other | $15K | 0.0% | -88.8% | $1,203 |
| 1211.20.1311 | Major roots | $754K | 1.5% | -37.9% | $142K |
| 1211.20.1319 | Other | $290K | 0.6% | -82.6% | $0 |
| 1211.20.1391 | Major roots | $38.5M | 75.3% | -29.4% | $4.7M |
| 1211.20.1399 | Other | $3.9M | 7.6% | +84.7% | $328K |
| 1211.20.2110 | Powder | $289K | 0.6% | -20.2% | $49K |
| 1211.20.2120 | Tablet or capsule | $767K | 1.5% | +8.6% | $16K |
| 1211.20.2190 | Other | $9,451 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 1211.20.2210 | Powder | $2.2M | 4.3% | +39.3% | $77K |
| 1211.20.2220 | Tablet or capsule | $760K | 1.5% | -39.1% | $2,402 |
| 1211.20.2290 | Other | $135K | 0.3% | -50.7% | $20K |
| 1211.20.3100 | Leaves and stems of ginseng | $40 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 1211.20.9300 | Fresh, chilled or dried | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 1211.20.9900 | Other | $781 | 0.0% | -99.9% | $0 |
| 1211.30 | Coca leaf | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 1211.50 | Ephedra | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 1211.50.1000 | Fresh, chilled or dried | $0 | – | – | $0 |
| 1211.50.9000 | Other | $0 | – | – | $0 |
| 1211.60 | Bark of African cherry (Prunus africana) | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 1211.90 | Other | $19.6M | 27.7% | -5.5% | $7.2M |
| 1211.90.1100 | Aconiti tuber | $446 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 1211.90.1200 | Coptidis rhizoma | $192 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 1211.90.1300 | Polygalae radix | $652 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 1211.90.1400 | Fritillariae roylei bulbus | $783 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 1211.90.1500 | Eucommiae cortex | $140 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 1211.90.1600 | Liquorice roots | $29K | 0.1% | -46.7% | $604 |
| 1211.90.1700 | Amomi semen | $13K | 0.1% | – | $0 |
| 1211.90.1800 | Zizyphi semen | $0 | 0.0% | -100.0% | $0 |
| 1211.90.1910 | Longanae arillus | $41K | 0.2% | – | $0 |
| 1211.90.1920 | Crataegi fructus | $7,547 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 1211.90.1930 | Nelumbo semen | $61 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 1211.90.1940 | Pepper mint | $2,105 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 1211.90.1950 | Japanese pepper | $15.7M | 80.2% | -0.7% | $7.1M |
| 1211.90.1960 | Dried roots of balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorum) | $50K | 0.3% | -25.3% | $1,020 |
| 1211.90.1970 | Barbary wolfberry fruit (Lycium chinese Mill) | $54K | 0.3% | +37.7% | $537 |
| 1211.90.1980 | Chinese magnolia fruit (Schisandra chinensis Baill) | $31K | 0.2% | -73.7% | $736 |
| 1211.90.1991 | Quisqualis fructus | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 1211.90.1992 | Wilford's swallow-wort | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 1211.90.1993 | Polygoni Multiflori Radix | $7,417 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 1211.90.1999 | Other | $2.3M | 11.5% | -13.1% | $15K |
| 1211.90.9010 | Edible | $100K | 0.5% | -51.6% | $41K |
| 1211.90.9090 | Other | $1.3M | 6.6% | -27.1% | $121K |
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. 64 countries received this product from South Korea in the last 24 months; the table shows the largest 20.
| Rank | Country | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | Rank before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | $28.0M | 39.5% | -35.0% | 1 | $4.3M |
| 2 | Japan | $19.4M | 27.4% | -0.9% | 2 | $7.1M |
| 3 | Hong Kong | $10.4M | 14.6% | -11.8% | 3 | $532K |
| 4 | Taiwan | $3.7M | 5.2% | -44.2% | 4 | $469K |
| 5 | Vietnam | $3.4M | 4.9% | +35.7% | 5 | $206K |
| 6 | United States | $2.8M | 4.0% | +15.0% | 6 | $43K |
| 7 | Thailand | $495K | 0.7% | +947.9% | 18 | $0 |
| 8 | Canada | $490K | 0.7% | +20.1% | 9 | $62K |
| 9 | Singapore | $455K | 0.6% | -9.5% | 7 | $1,274 |
| 10 | Australia | $369K | 0.5% | +60.3% | 10 | $1,027 |
| 11 | United Kingdom | $241K | 0.3% | +4.9% | 11 | $97K |
| 12 | Malaysia | $227K | 0.3% | -48.4% | 8 | $298 |
| 13 | Spain | $220K | 0.3% | -0.4% | 12 | $0 |
| 14 | Türkiye | $177K | 0.3% | +519.5% | 21 | $0 |
| 15 | Macao | $75K | 0.1% | +82.8% | 19 | $0 |
| 16 | France | $58K | 0.1% | +119.8% | 23 | $1,159 |
| 17 | Germany | $47K | 0.1% | -34.0% | 17 | $0 |
| 18 | Philippines | $44K | 0.1% | – | 32 | $26 |
| 19 | India | $41K | 0.1% | -60.3% | 14 | $13K |
| 20 | United Arab Emirates | $40K | 0.1% | -57.4% | 15 | $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 | $12.8M | +22.5% | 108 t | $119.00 | $9.4M | 1,967 t |
| September 2026 | $7.6M | -16.3% | 65.5 t | $116.08 | $7.8M | 1,718 t |
| August 2026 | $9.5M | +56.1% | 55.3 t | $171.91 | $7.4M | 1,602 t |
| July 2026 | $4.9M | +17.4% | 78.7 t | $62.87 | $8.7M | 1,820 t |
| June 2026 | $5.4M | -14.3% | 56.8 t | $94.46 | $9.9M | 2,272 t |
| May 2026 | $3.2M | -48.9% | 38.0 t | $85.15 | $11.0M | 2,564 t |
| April 2026 | $4.7M | -11.6% | 48.8 t | $96.79 | $9.4M | 2,232 t |
| March 2026 | $3.9M | -50.9% | 64.4 t | $60.25 | $9.5M | 2,302 t |
| February 2026 | $2.5M | -61.5% | 13.7 t | $181.86 | $11.0M | 2,735 t |
| January 2026 | $3.2M | -41.5% | 34.0 t | $94.50 | $10.4M | 2,618 t |
| December 2025 | $7.6M | -48.2% | 51.2 t | $149.31 | $11.7M | 2,842 t |
| November 2025 | $5.3M | -15.5% | 40.6 t | $130.83 | $11.1M | 2,486 t |
| October 2025 | $10.5M | +28.3% | 98.1 t | $106.88 | $6.9M | 1,550 t |
| September 2025 | $9.1M | -44.5% | 80.6 t | $112.77 | $9.7M | 2,212 t |
| August 2025 | $6.1M | -20.4% | 38.8 t | $156.92 | $7.0M | 1,672 t |
| July 2025 | $4.2M | -35.3% | 37.8 t | $111.63 | $9.9M | 1,996 t |
| June 2025 | $6.3M | -49.1% | 49.1 t | $127.55 | $9.5M | 1,874 t |
| May 2025 | $6.3M | -6.9% | 49.2 t | $128.66 | $11.5M | 2,511 t |
| April 2025 | $5.3M | -35.0% | 46.8 t | $114.06 | $11.3M | 2,502 t |
| March 2025 | $7.9M | +55.6% | 85.5 t | $92.30 | $10.6M | 2,370 t |
| February 2025 | $6.5M | +36.1% | 72.7 t | $88.91 | $10.0M | 2,242 t |
| January 2025 | $5.5M | +20.7% | 66.6 t | $82.44 | $12.0M | 2,657 t |
| December 2024 | $14.8M | -23.8% | 75.3 t | $196.24 | $11.9M | 2,422 t |
| November 2024 | $6.3M | -13.7% | 58.2 t | $108.09 | $11.4M | 2,357 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.