Wadding, gauze, bandages and similar articles, etc.: South Korea exports and imports
HS 3005 · 탈지면ㆍ거즈ㆍ붕대와 이와 유사한 제품(예: 피복재ㆍ반창고ㆍ습포제)으로서 내과용ㆍ외과용ㆍ치과용ㆍ수의과용으로 사용하기 위하여 의료물질을 도포하거나 침투시킨 것이나 소매용 모양이나 포장을 한 것 · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $20.4 million of wadding, gauze, bandages and similar articles, etc. (HS 3005), up 25.4% from September 2026 and up 49.8% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of wadding, gauze, bandages and similar articles, etc. (HS 3005) totalled $212.5 million, up 11.4% from the 12 months before ($190.8 million).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was the United States ($87.8 million, 41.3% of the total), followed by China and the United Kingdom.
That was 2.1% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 30 (pharmaceutical products) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $15.0 million (up 11.8% from October 2025), leaving a surplus of $5.5 million for the month.
Official description of HS 3005: Wadding, gauze, bandages and similar articles (for example, dressings, adhesive plasters, poultices), impregnated or coated with pharmaceutical substances or put up in forms or packings for retail sale for medical, surgical, dental or veterinary purposes.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 3005
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3005.10 | Adhesive dressings and other articles having an adhesive layer | $87.8M | 41.3% | +23.0% | $9.8M |
| 3005.10.1000 | Adhesive plasters | $12.0M | 13.7% | +0.9% | $1.2M |
| 3005.10.9000 | Other | $75.8M | 86.3% | +27.4% | $8.6M |
| 3005.90 | Other | $124.7M | 58.7% | +4.4% | $10.6M |
| 3005.90.1000 | Waddings | $526K | 0.4% | -26.4% | $7,360 |
| 3005.90.2000 | Gauze | $181K | 0.1% | +73.3% | $8,032 |
| 3005.90.3000 | Bandages | $11.9M | 9.5% | +2.2% | $1.1M |
| 3005.90.4000 | Prepared dressings and poultices | $105.0M | 84.2% | +4.9% | $8.9M |
| 3005.90.9000 | Other | $7.2M | 5.7% | +2.7% | $617K |
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. 151 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 States | $87.8M | 41.3% | +25.9% | 1 | $8.5M |
| 2 | China | $14.6M | 6.9% | +12.7% | 2 | $1.7M |
| 3 | United Kingdom | $12.5M | 5.9% | -2.4% | 3 | $1.2M |
| 4 | Thailand | $8.3M | 3.9% | +33.8% | 5 | $1.1M |
| 5 | Germany | $7.0M | 3.3% | -27.2% | 4 | $754K |
| 6 | Vietnam | $6.3M | 3.0% | +5.6% | 6 | $603K |
| 7 | Netherlands | $5.2M | 2.4% | +42.9% | 14 | $281K |
| 8 | Canada | $5.1M | 2.4% | +9.9% | 10 | $254K |
| 9 | Malaysia | $4.6M | 2.2% | +23.6% | 13 | $366K |
| 10 | Algeria | $4.6M | 2.2% | -14.2% | 8 | $0 |
| 11 | Australia | $4.6M | 2.2% | -22.0% | 7 | $1.0M |
| 12 | France | $4.6M | 2.1% | +5.0% | 11 | $479K |
| 13 | Singapore | $4.1M | 1.9% | -15.0% | 9 | $279K |
| 14 | India | $3.5M | 1.6% | +20.0% | 15 | $293K |
| 15 | Hong Kong | $3.0M | 1.4% | +61.5% | 20 | $283K |
| 16 | Russia | $2.9M | 1.4% | -24.2% | 12 | $116K |
| 17 | Taiwan | $2.7M | 1.3% | +26.9% | 16 | $318K |
| 18 | Philippines | $2.2M | 1.0% | +40.2% | 21 | $338K |
| 19 | Indonesia | $2.0M | 1.0% | +48.3% | 23 | $230K |
| 20 | Japan | $2.0M | 0.9% | +3.6% | 19 | $183K |
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 | $20.4M | +49.8% | 488 t | $41.90 | $15.0M | 764 t |
| September 2026 | $16.3M | +2.4% | 464 t | $35.15 | $14.3M | 780 t |
| August 2026 | $16.9M | +53.7% | 402 t | $41.96 | $11.7M | 693 t |
| July 2026 | $20.9M | +0.4% | 512 t | $40.73 | $13.9M | 794 t |
| June 2026 | $17.1M | +28.5% | 413 t | $41.38 | $18.2M | 1,029 t |
| May 2026 | $19.2M | +57.5% | 490 t | $39.17 | $12.9M | 736 t |
| April 2026 | $22.7M | +24.0% | 542 t | $41.91 | $17.7M | 986 t |
| March 2026 | $18.4M | +27.4% | 463 t | $39.69 | $15.7M | 737 t |
| February 2026 | $14.0M | -16.7% | 399 t | $35.08 | $11.4M | 611 t |
| January 2026 | $17.0M | -21.5% | 414 t | $40.98 | $13.3M | 799 t |
| December 2025 | $15.5M | -13.2% | 546 t | $28.38 | $13.3M | 838 t |
| November 2025 | $14.1M | -5.4% | 415 t | $34.04 | $10.6M | 716 t |
| October 2025 | $13.6M | -24.4% | 321 t | $42.49 | $13.4M | 683 t |
| September 2025 | $15.9M | -10.3% | 500 t | $31.81 | $14.1M | 903 t |
| August 2025 | $11.0M | -31.7% | 357 t | $30.75 | $10.8M | 613 t |
| July 2025 | $20.8M | -3.8% | 506 t | $41.06 | $13.6M | 712 t |
| June 2025 | $13.3M | -30.9% | 420 t | $31.66 | $15.7M | 758 t |
| May 2025 | $12.2M | -31.2% | 398 t | $30.58 | $11.8M | 688 t |
| April 2025 | $18.3M | +2.1% | 467 t | $39.28 | $14.8M | 868 t |
| March 2025 | $14.4M | -4.6% | 402 t | $35.90 | $11.1M | 642 t |
| February 2025 | $16.8M | +31.7% | 445 t | $37.76 | $12.1M | 631 t |
| January 2025 | $21.6M | +96.8% | 426 t | $50.80 | $12.5M | 692 t |
| December 2024 | $17.9M | +84.5% | 588 t | $30.34 | $12.7M | 774 t |
| November 2024 | $14.9M | +16.1% | 417 t | $35.81 | $11.5M | 711 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.