Antibiotics: South Korea exports and imports
HS 2941 · 항생물질 · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $5.4 million of antibiotics (HS 2941), down 21.5% from September 2026 and down 25.4% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of antibiotics (HS 2941) totalled $123.4 million, down 11.1% from the 12 months before ($138.8 million).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was Italy ($41.2 million, 33.4% of the total), followed by Japan and India.
That was 0.6% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 29 (organic chemicals) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $16.6 million (up 37.1% from October 2025), leaving a deficit of $11.2 million for the month.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 2941
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2941.10 | Penicillins and their derivatives with a penicillanic acid structure; salts thereof | $229K | 0.2% | -62.5% | $62 |
| 2941.10.1000 | Penicilline G potassium | $87 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 2941.10.9010 | Penicilline G sodium | $97 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 2941.10.9020 | Penicilline V | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 2941.10.9090 | Other | $228K | 99.9% | -62.5% | $62 |
| 2941.20 | Streptomycins and their derivatives; salts thereof | $435 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 2941.20.1000 | Material for manufacturing agricultural chemicals (registered material under the Agricultural Chemicals Management Act) | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 2941.20.9000 | Other | $435 | 100.0% | – | $0 |
| 2941.30 | Tetracyclines and their derivatives; salts thereof | $7.6M | 6.2% | +109.2% | $952K |
| 2941.30.1000 | Chlorotetracycline | $85K | 1.1% | +100.2% | $0 |
| 2941.30.2000 | Oxy-tetracycline hydrochloride | $241 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 2941.30.3000 | Chlorotetracycline hydrochloride | $320 | 0.0% | – | $59 |
| 2941.30.9000 | Other | $7.6M | 98.9% | +109.4% | $952K |
| 2941.40 | Chloramphenicol and its derivatives; salts thereof | $6,182 | 0.0% | – | $117 |
| 2941.50 | Erythromycin and its derivatives; salts thereof | $936K | 0.8% | +142.9% | $0 |
| 2941.50.1000 | Erythromycin thiocyanate | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 2941.50.9000 | Other | $936K | 100.0% | +142.9% | $0 |
| 2941.90 | Other | $114.5M | 92.9% | -14.6% | $4.4M |
| 2941.90.1000 | Material for manufacturing agricultural chemicals (registered material under the Agricultural Chemicals Management Act) | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 2941.90.9000 | Other | $114.5M | 100.0% | -14.6% | $4.4M |
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. 45 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 | Italy | $41.2M | 33.4% | -25.4% | 1 | $952K |
| 2 | Japan | $15.8M | 12.8% | -45.4% | 2 | $1.1M |
| 3 | India | $12.7M | 10.3% | +6.6% | 3 | $1.7M |
| 4 | China | $10.4M | 8.4% | +57.1% | 4 | $166K |
| 5 | Netherlands | $8.8M | 7.2% | +832.2% | 15 | $0 |
| 6 | Portugal | $6.2M | 5.0% | +1.5% | 5 | $0 |
| 7 | Türkiye | $4.9M | 4.0% | +20.9% | 7 | $556K |
| 8 | Indonesia | $4.7M | 3.8% | +25.0% | 8 | $95K |
| 9 | Vietnam | $3.2M | 2.6% | -27.1% | 6 | $137K |
| 10 | Bangladesh | $2.7M | 2.2% | -4.9% | 9 | $464K |
| 11 | Brazil | $2.7M | 2.1% | +85.7% | 12 | $0 |
| 12 | Russia | $2.4M | 2.0% | +18.6% | 11 | $16 |
| 13 | Taiwan | $1.8M | 1.4% | -32.8% | 10 | $27K |
| 14 | Philippines | $1.0M | 0.8% | +322.0% | 22 | $59 |
| 15 | Tunisia | $873K | 0.7% | +19.9% | 16 | $0 |
| 16 | France | $860K | 0.7% | -32.8% | 13 | $0 |
| 17 | Spain | $552K | 0.4% | -56.7% | 14 | $0 |
| 18 | Ireland | $404K | 0.3% | -32.5% | 19 | $0 |
| 19 | Hong Kong | $378K | 0.3% | +57.4% | 23 | $0 |
| 20 | Jordan | $266K | 0.2% | -19.5% | 21 | $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 | $5.4M | -25.4% | 31.0 t | $174.00 | $16.6M | 161 t |
| September 2026 | $6.9M | -30.5% | 10.7 t | $642.76 | $12.5M | 204 t |
| August 2026 | $6.2M | -32.5% | 26.5 t | $232.63 | $12.4M | 99.1 t |
| July 2026 | $13.6M | +27.9% | 33.7 t | $402.32 | $15.3M | 188 t |
| June 2026 | $12.1M | -22.4% | 45.5 t | $266.19 | $13.9M | 183 t |
| May 2026 | $12.8M | -4.4% | 31.4 t | $406.40 | $14.9M | 152 t |
| April 2026 | $13.1M | +30.4% | 59.2 t | $221.86 | $18.8M | 224 t |
| March 2026 | $11.8M | +0.4% | 28.9 t | $409.03 | $14.0M | 207 t |
| February 2026 | $8.1M | -39.4% | 29.6 t | $272.11 | $10.1M | 139 t |
| January 2026 | $9.6M | -21.2% | 39.2 t | $244.87 | $18.1M | 213 t |
| December 2025 | $14.2M | -5.6% | 50.2 t | $283.30 | $13.7M | 160 t |
| November 2025 | $9.7M | -8.9% | 55.7 t | $173.56 | $13.3M | 153 t |
| October 2025 | $7.2M | -24.6% | 42.7 t | $169.22 | $12.1M | 224 t |
| September 2025 | $9.9M | +12.8% | 18.4 t | $536.34 | $13.3M | 177 t |
| August 2025 | $9.1M | -27.5% | 18.0 t | $505.71 | $9.4M | 132 t |
| July 2025 | $10.6M | -43.1% | 44.8 t | $236.60 | $15.4M | 189 t |
| June 2025 | $15.6M | -9.9% | 20.9 t | $746.96 | $12.3M | 129 t |
| May 2025 | $13.4M | -33.4% | 37.6 t | $355.42 | $16.0M | 232 t |
| April 2025 | $10.1M | -42.4% | 41.8 t | $240.68 | $16.6M | 202 t |
| March 2025 | $11.8M | -16.4% | 34.8 t | $337.76 | $14.1M | 161 t |
| February 2025 | $13.3M | -16.7% | 35.3 t | $376.43 | $18.1M | 208 t |
| January 2025 | $12.2M | -5.0% | 48.8 t | $250.12 | $15.8M | 156 t |
| December 2024 | $15.1M | -15.4% | 34.0 t | $443.98 | $17.0M | 185 t |
| November 2024 | $10.6M | -47.9% | 38.4 t | $276.24 | $17.1M | 178 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.