Acyclic alcohols and their derivatives: South Korea exports and imports
HS 2905 · 비환식알코올과 이들의 할로겐화유도체ㆍ술폰화유도체ㆍ니트로화유도체ㆍ니트로소화유도체 · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $47.3 million of acyclic alcohols and their derivatives (HS 2905), up 10.1% from September 2026 and up 13.2% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of acyclic alcohols and their derivatives (HS 2905) totalled $497.8 million, down 10.1% from the 12 months before ($553.5 million).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was China ($139.0 million, 27.9% of the total), followed by the United States and India.
That was 2.4% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 29 (organic chemicals) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $160.7 million (up 40.8% from October 2025), leaving a deficit of $113.4 million for the month.
Official description of HS 2905: Acyclic alcohols and their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 2905
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2905.11 | Methanol (methyl alcohol) | $5.6M | 1.1% | +40.9% | $777K |
| 2905.12 | Propan-1-ol (propyl alcohol) and propan-2-ol (isopropyl alcohol) | $124.5M | 25.0% | +12.8% | $10.1M |
| 2905.12.1000 | Propan-1-ol (propyl alcohol) | $369K | 0.3% | +11.8% | $49K |
| 2905.12.2010 | For making semiconductor | $2.2M | 1.8% | -24.8% | $129K |
| 2905.12.2090 | Other | $121.9M | 97.9% | +13.8% | $9.9M |
| 2905.13 | Butan-1-ol (n-butyl alcohol) | $71K | 0.0% | -67.3% | $6,203 |
| 2905.14 | Other butanols | $616K | 0.1% | -92.4% | $5,449 |
| 2905.16 | Octanol (octyl alcohol) and isomers thereof | $17.0M | 3.4% | -52.2% | $2.0M |
| 2905.16.1000 | 2-ethylhexyl alcohol | $17.0M | 99.7% | -52.1% | $2.0M |
| 2905.16.9000 | Other | $48K | 0.3% | -70.8% | $5,364 |
| 2905.17 | Dodecan-1-ol (lauryl alcohol), hexadecan-1-ol (cetyl alcohol) and octadecan-1-ol (stearyl alcohol) | $303K | 0.1% | -31.3% | $7,069 |
| 2905.17.1000 | Dodecan-1-ol (lauryl alcohol) | $217K | 71.7% | -30.1% | $0 |
| 2905.17.2000 | Hexadecan-1-ol (cetyl alcohol) | $69K | 22.6% | -45.8% | $6,994 |
| 2905.17.3000 | Octadecan-1-ol (stearyl alcohol) | $17K | 5.6% | – | $75 |
| 2905.19 | Other | $2.8M | 0.6% | -27.4% | $676K |
| 2905.19.1000 | Heptyl alcohols | $245 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 2905.19.2000 | Nonyl acohol | $151 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 2905.19.3000 | Isononyl alcohol | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 2905.19.4000 | Pentanol (amyl alcohol) and isomers thereof | $24K | 0.9% | +86.1% | $159 |
| 2905.19.9020 | 2-Propyl heptyl alcohol | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 2905.19.9030 | Isodecyl alcohol | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 2905.19.9090 | Other | $2.7M | 99.1% | -27.8% | $676K |
| 2905.22 | Acyclic terpene alcohols | $15K | 0.0% | – | $1,695 |
| 2905.22.1000 | Geraniol, citronellol, linalool, rhodinol and nerol | $15K | 99.2% | – | $1,695 |
| 2905.22.9000 | Other | $119 | 0.8% | – | $0 |
| 2905.29 | Other | $4,057 | 0.0% | -69.5% | $124 |
| 2905.31 | Ethylene glycol (ethanediol) | $65.8M | 13.2% | -35.1% | $3.1M |
| 2905.32 | Propylene glycol (propane-1,2-diol) | $174.3M | 35.0% | +29.5% | $21.7M |
| 2905.39 | Other | $100.9M | 20.3% | -32.2% | $8.5M |
| 2905.39.1000 | 1,4-Butanediol | $3.2M | 3.1% | -73.2% | $123K |
| 2905.39.2000 | Neopentyl glycol | $67.3M | 66.6% | -32.7% | $5.4M |
| 2905.39.9000 | Other | $30.5M | 30.2% | -17.5% | $3.0M |
| 2905.41 | 2-Ethyl-2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol (trimethylolpropane) | $75K | 0.0% | -58.1% | $1,353 |
| 2905.42 | Pentaerythritol | $56K | 0.0% | -18.6% | $16K |
| 2905.43 | Mannitol | $51K | 0.0% | +256.7% | $1,880 |
| 2905.44 | D-glucitol (sorbitol) | $809K | 0.2% | +28.3% | $50K |
| 2905.45 | Glycerol | $2.0M | 0.4% | -20.9% | $150K |
| 2905.49 | Other | $276K | 0.1% | -8.8% | $20K |
| 2905.59 | Other | $2.6M | 0.5% | +8.7% | $257K |
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. 100 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 | $139.0M | 27.9% | -24.8% | 1 | $11.4M |
| 2 | United States | $46.7M | 9.4% | +21.3% | 4 | $5.1M |
| 3 | India | $45.1M | 9.1% | -20.2% | 2 | $4.5M |
| 4 | Türkiye | $41.4M | 8.3% | -0.8% | 3 | $3.5M |
| 5 | Taiwan | $36.6M | 7.4% | +53.2% | 5 | $3.4M |
| 6 | Indonesia | $22.5M | 4.5% | +25.5% | 8 | $2.7M |
| 7 | Japan | $22.2M | 4.5% | +7.6% | 6 | $2.6M |
| 8 | Netherlands | $18.4M | 3.7% | +54.7% | 10 | $1.4M |
| 9 | Vietnam | $11.8M | 2.4% | -39.8% | 7 | $1.1M |
| 10 | Thailand | $9.9M | 2.0% | -32.1% | 9 | $373K |
| 11 | Brazil | $9.5M | 1.9% | +3.1% | 12 | $605K |
| 12 | Greece | $7.8M | 1.6% | +12.6% | 15 | $1.8M |
| 13 | Malaysia | $7.7M | 1.5% | -21.1% | 11 | $653K |
| 14 | United Arab Emirates | $6.9M | 1.4% | -16.6% | 13 | $967K |
| 15 | Bangladesh | $6.0M | 1.2% | +17.4% | 21 | $489K |
| 16 | Pakistan | $5.2M | 1.0% | -33.4% | 14 | $782K |
| 17 | Singapore | $4.9M | 1.0% | -14.1% | 17 | $417K |
| 18 | Italy | $4.7M | 0.9% | -9.9% | 20 | $318K |
| 19 | Russia | $4.7M | 0.9% | -13.6% | 19 | $800K |
| 20 | Ireland | $4.3M | 0.9% | +35.7% | 25 | $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 | $47.3M | +13.2% | 32,829 t | $1.44 | $160.7M | 194,561 t |
| September 2026 | $43.0M | -4.9% | 29,779 t | $1.44 | $148.7M | 208,958 t |
| August 2026 | $38.1M | -25.7% | 34,147 t | $1.12 | $153.3M | 238,154 t |
| July 2026 | $52.3M | +12.4% | 49,272 t | $1.06 | $164.0M | 234,041 t |
| June 2026 | $37.6M | -15.6% | 20,807 t | $1.81 | $199.2M | 253,082 t |
| May 2026 | $33.3M | -23.0% | 18,710 t | $1.78 | $184.9M | 229,971 t |
| April 2026 | $38.0M | -5.1% | 24,645 t | $1.54 | $187.6M | 240,398 t |
| March 2026 | $37.2M | +8.0% | 39,043 t | $0.95 | $135.6M | 219,960 t |
| February 2026 | $36.8M | -14.0% | 37,738 t | $0.98 | $106.3M | 208,285 t |
| January 2026 | $36.5M | -29.0% | 39,825 t | $0.92 | $133.2M | 270,121 t |
| December 2025 | $49.3M | -13.5% | 63,618 t | $0.77 | $114.4M | 221,569 t |
| November 2025 | $48.3M | -12.6% | 61,140 t | $0.79 | $115.1M | 224,083 t |
| October 2025 | $41.8M | -31.6% | 47,286 t | $0.88 | $114.1M | 229,219 t |
| September 2025 | $45.2M | -8.8% | 52,093 t | $0.87 | $133.1M | 255,156 t |
| August 2025 | $51.3M | -28.1% | 62,223 t | $0.82 | $137.9M | 265,806 t |
| July 2025 | $46.5M | -28.1% | 49,947 t | $0.93 | $154.4M | 266,451 t |
| June 2025 | $44.5M | -26.7% | 46,042 t | $0.97 | $130.1M | 243,202 t |
| May 2025 | $43.2M | -26.3% | 44,050 t | $0.98 | $131.9M | 239,890 t |
| April 2025 | $40.1M | -44.7% | 35,421 t | $1.13 | $150.6M | 269,201 t |
| March 2025 | $34.4M | -50.0% | 33,701 t | $1.02 | $129.0M | 233,222 t |
| February 2025 | $42.8M | -40.8% | 41,560 t | $1.03 | $146.1M | 267,340 t |
| January 2025 | $51.5M | -16.6% | 57,066 t | $0.90 | $136.1M | 251,931 t |
| December 2024 | $57.0M | -9.4% | 58,829 t | $0.97 | $144.4M | 284,221 t |
| November 2024 | $55.2M | +15.0% | 52,501 t | $1.05 | $133.5M | 243,573 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.