Tobacco and tobacco substitutes: South Korea exports and imports
HS chapter 24 · 담배와 제조한 담배 대용물, 연소시키지 않고흡입하도록 만들어진 물품(니코틴을 함유하였는지에 상관없다), 니코틴을 함유한 그 밖의 물품으로 인체 내에 니코틴을 흡수시키도록 만들어진 것 · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $48.2 million of tobacco and tobacco substitutes (HS 24), down 45.6% from September 2026 and down 32.7% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of tobacco and tobacco substitutes (HS 24) totalled $953.2 million, down 11.3% from the 12 months before ($1.08 billion).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was the United Arab Emirates ($350.0 million, 36.7% of the total), followed by Japan and Taiwan.
That was 0.1% of South Korea's total goods exports over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $38.9 million (down 33.8% from October 2025), leaving a surplus of $9.2 million for the month.
Official description of HS 24: Tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes; products, whether or not containing nicotine, intended for inhalation without combustion; other nicotine containing products intended for the intake of nicotine into the human body.
Last 24 months
Headings under chapter 24
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2402 | Cigarettes and cigars | $643.6M | 67.5% | -4.3% | $30.5M |
| 2404 | Heated tobacco, e-cigarette and other nicotine products | $260.4M | 27.3% | -7.5% | $14.6M |
| 2403 | Other manufactured tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes, etc. | $25.5M | 2.7% | -63.0% | $1.2M |
| 2401 | Unmanufactured tobacco, etc. | $23.8M | 2.5% | -54.4% | $1.8M |
Top destinations
Export value over the 12 months to October 2026. 102 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 | United Arab Emirates | $350.0M | 36.7% | +40.4% | 2 | $7.4M |
| 2 | Japan | $239.5M | 25.1% | -28.8% | 1 | $15.6M |
| 3 | Taiwan | $60.8M | 6.4% | +72.1% | 6 | $5.3M |
| 4 | Hong Kong | $52.8M | 5.5% | -38.7% | 3 | $1.3M |
| 5 | Nigeria | $27.8M | 2.9% | -18.4% | 7 | $2.7M |
| 6 | Indonesia | $26.2M | 2.8% | -46.1% | 4 | $438K |
| 7 | China | $25.9M | 2.7% | +6.1% | 9 | $3.8M |
| 8 | Belize | $24.9M | 2.6% | +10.3% | 10 | $1.9M |
| 9 | Mongolia | $17.7M | 1.9% | -38.8% | 8 | $108K |
| 10 | Grenada | $13.1M | 1.4% | +541.9% | 29 | $0 |
| 11 | Russia | $11.4M | 1.2% | -71.5% | 5 | $903K |
| 12 | Bolivia | $10.1M | 1.1% | +16.2% | 19 | $1.2M |
| 13 | Saudi Arabia | $10.0M | 1.1% | -14.0% | 14 | $373K |
| 14 | Türkiye | $8.8M | 0.9% | -57.0% | 11 | $1.3M |
| 15 | Aruba | $7.8M | 0.8% | -25.1% | 16 | $335K |
| 16 | Libya | $6.8M | 0.7% | -44.5% | 13 | $695K |
| 17 | Somalia | $5.8M | 0.6% | +1,511% | 45 | $0 |
| 18 | Ghana | $5.3M | 0.6% | +3,792% | 50 | $0 |
| 19 | Israel | $3.8M | 0.4% | +84.8% | 28 | $329K |
| 20 | Panama | $3.5M | 0.4% | -37.0% | 22 | $0 |
Countries are linked when exports of this product to them reached $1,000,000 over 24 months.
Monthly figures
| Month | Exports | vs year earlier | Export weight | Export $/kg | Imports | Import weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | $48.2M | -32.7% | 3,085 t | $15.61 | $38.9M | 3,796 t |
| September 2026 | $88.5M | -11.7% | 5,299 t | $16.70 | $43.8M | 4,634 t |
| August 2026 | $88.4M | -3.4% | 4,765 t | $18.55 | $36.1M | 4,080 t |
| July 2026 | $94.1M | +30.8% | 5,853 t | $16.07 | $48.8M | 6,168 t |
| June 2026 | $82.7M | -10.3% | 5,737 t | $14.42 | $40.1M | 4,800 t |
| May 2026 | $65.2M | -30.8% | 4,235 t | $15.38 | $36.2M | 4,948 t |
| April 2026 | $93.9M | -2.4% | 6,460 t | $14.54 | $50.6M | 6,001 t |
| March 2026 | $75.1M | -10.8% | 5,124 t | $14.66 | $71.4M | 4,728 t |
| February 2026 | $82.0M | -17.2% | 4,813 t | $17.05 | $62.7M | 5,614 t |
| January 2026 | $86.7M | +18.5% | 4,837 t | $17.93 | $73.5M | 7,319 t |
| December 2025 | $57.6M | -45.6% | 4,010 t | $14.35 | $72.7M | 8,735 t |
| November 2025 | $90.9M | -4.5% | 5,897 t | $15.41 | $56.5M | 6,163 t |
| October 2025 | $71.6M | -18.5% | 3,905 t | $18.34 | $58.9M | 6,524 t |
| September 2025 | $100.2M | -1.7% | 6,424 t | $15.59 | $60.3M | 5,754 t |
| August 2025 | $91.5M | -1.0% | 6,215 t | $14.72 | $39.9M | 3,920 t |
| July 2025 | $71.9M | -36.7% | 5,405 t | $13.31 | $49.2M | 4,980 t |
| June 2025 | $92.2M | -11.6% | 5,750 t | $16.04 | $41.9M | 4,906 t |
| May 2025 | $94.1M | +8.5% | 6,069 t | $15.51 | $43.8M | 4,610 t |
| April 2025 | $96.3M | -7.3% | 6,492 t | $14.83 | $61.2M | 7,181 t |
| March 2025 | $84.2M | -1.0% | 5,827 t | $14.45 | $57.4M | 7,613 t |
| February 2025 | $99.0M | +26.4% | 6,871 t | $14.41 | $52.2M | 6,612 t |
| January 2025 | $73.2M | +14.0% | 5,353 t | $13.67 | $37.6M | 4,864 t |
| December 2024 | $105.8M | +51.9% | 7,741 t | $13.66 | $53.1M | 5,008 t |
| November 2024 | $95.2M | +19.9% | 6,233 t | $15.27 | $43.2M | 4,965 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.