Paints and varnishes, water-based: South Korea exports and imports
HS 3209 · 페인트와 바니시(varnish)[에나멜과 래커(lacquer)를 포함하며, 합성 중합체나 화학적으로 변성한 천연 중합체를 기본 재료로 하여 수성(水性) 매질(媒質)에 분산하거나 용해한 것으로 한정한다] · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $11.0 million of paints and varnishes, water-based (HS 3209), down 7.4% from September 2026 and up 15.5% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of paints and varnishes, water-based (HS 3209) totalled $129.9 million, up 7.2% from the 12 months before ($121.2 million).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was China ($38.0 million, 29.3% of the total), followed by Vietnam and Mongolia.
That was 4.6% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 32 (dyes, pigments, paints and inks) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $5.6 million (up 29.6% from October 2025), leaving a surplus of $5.4 million for the month.
Official description of HS 3209: Paints and varnishes (including enamels and lacquers) based on synthetic polymers or chemically modified natural polymers, dispersed or dissolved in an aqueous medium.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 3209
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3209.10 | Based on acrylic or vinyl polymers | $32.7M | 25.2% | -0.7% | $2.9M |
| 3209.10.1011 | Enamels | $1.2M | 3.6% | -6.9% | $126K |
| 3209.10.1019 | Other | $22.6M | 69.1% | +2.5% | $2.1M |
| 3209.10.1020 | Varnishes (including lacquers) | $5.1M | 15.7% | +9.2% | $394K |
| 3209.10.2010 | Paints (including enamels) | $768K | 2.3% | -8.0% | $1,533 |
| 3209.10.2020 | Varnishes (including lacquers) | $3.0M | 9.3% | -25.9% | $283K |
| 3209.90 | Other | $97.2M | 74.8% | +10.1% | $8.1M |
| 3209.90.1011 | Enamels | $472 | 0.0% | -99.0% | $0 |
| 3209.90.1019 | Other | $27.2M | 28.0% | +10.5% | $2.2M |
| 3209.90.1020 | Varnishes (including lacquers) | $4.2M | 4.3% | -14.0% | $252K |
| 3209.90.9011 | Enamels | $25.4M | 26.2% | +36.2% | $1.9M |
| 3209.90.9019 | Other | $39.9M | 41.0% | +0.5% | $3.7M |
| 3209.90.9020 | Varnishes (including lacquers) | $516K | 0.5% | +37.0% | $39K |
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. 81 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 | $38.0M | 29.3% | +0.4% | 1 | $3.6M |
| 2 | Vietnam | $36.1M | 27.8% | +28.8% | 2 | $2.8M |
| 3 | Mongolia | $7.9M | 6.1% | -5.0% | 4 | $325K |
| 4 | Indonesia | $7.6M | 5.9% | -13.2% | 3 | $520K |
| 5 | India | $7.2M | 5.6% | +11.1% | 5 | $787K |
| 6 | United States | $6.6M | 5.1% | +6.3% | 6 | $504K |
| 7 | Thailand | $4.5M | 3.4% | -3.5% | 7 | $460K |
| 8 | Mexico | $2.9M | 2.2% | +79.0% | 11 | $359K |
| 9 | Japan | $2.4M | 1.8% | +9.0% | 8 | $272K |
| 10 | Italy | $2.3M | 1.8% | +17.6% | 9 | $288K |
| 11 | Taiwan | $1.6M | 1.2% | -8.0% | 10 | $118K |
| 12 | Malaysia | $1.4M | 1.1% | +7.0% | 14 | $194K |
| 13 | Philippines | $1.2M | 0.9% | +14.9% | 16 | $120K |
| 14 | Czechia | $1.1M | 0.8% | -18.7% | 15 | $36K |
| 15 | Pakistan | $1.0M | 0.8% | +49.5% | 20 | $45K |
| 16 | Egypt | $1.0M | 0.8% | -33.5% | 12 | $0 |
| 17 | Maldives | $1.0M | 0.8% | +27.4% | 19 | $266K |
| 18 | Türkiye | $951K | 0.7% | -29.8% | 13 | $23K |
| 19 | Kenya | $859K | 0.7% | -3.0% | 18 | $48K |
| 20 | Uzbekistan | $834K | 0.6% | +62.0% | 22 | $61K |
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 | $11.0M | +15.5% | 2,995 t | $3.67 | $5.6M | 879 t |
| September 2026 | $11.9M | -8.2% | 3,163 t | $3.75 | $6.6M | 1,105 t |
| August 2026 | $11.1M | +28.5% | 3,005 t | $3.70 | $5.0M | 1,084 t |
| July 2026 | $13.1M | +20.0% | 3,561 t | $3.68 | $6.6M | 1,055 t |
| June 2026 | $10.7M | +7.8% | 3,187 t | $3.37 | $5.9M | 878 t |
| May 2026 | $10.4M | +24.5% | 3,005 t | $3.47 | $6.9M | 1,147 t |
| April 2026 | $11.3M | -5.4% | 3,257 t | $3.46 | $5.3M | 929 t |
| March 2026 | $11.2M | +14.9% | 3,631 t | $3.09 | $5.5M | 900 t |
| February 2026 | $9.4M | -6.9% | 2,417 t | $3.88 | $5.3M | 959 t |
| January 2026 | $10.0M | +24.6% | 2,417 t | $4.15 | $6.2M | 840 t |
| December 2025 | $10.0M | -7.4% | 2,566 t | $3.88 | $5.5M | 896 t |
| November 2025 | $9.8M | -4.8% | 2,793 t | $3.52 | $6.0M | 876 t |
| October 2025 | $9.5M | -12.7% | 2,334 t | $4.07 | $4.3M | 568 t |
| September 2025 | $12.9M | +36.4% | 3,924 t | $3.29 | $7.3M | 1,059 t |
| August 2025 | $8.6M | -5.3% | 2,394 t | $3.61 | $6.0M | 1,010 t |
| July 2025 | $10.9M | +13.2% | 3,242 t | $3.37 | $6.9M | 1,079 t |
| June 2025 | $10.0M | +16.3% | 2,894 t | $3.44 | $6.2M | 1,226 t |
| May 2025 | $8.4M | -14.4% | 2,693 t | $3.11 | $5.6M | 931 t |
| April 2025 | $11.9M | +6.8% | 3,717 t | $3.21 | $7.0M | 1,181 t |
| March 2025 | $9.8M | +0.8% | 3,083 t | $3.17 | $4.2M | 710 t |
| February 2025 | $10.1M | -9.6% | 3,239 t | $3.11 | $4.4M | 783 t |
| January 2025 | $8.0M | -14.3% | 2,304 t | $3.49 | $5.3M | 926 t |
| December 2024 | $10.8M | +28.2% | 2,815 t | $3.82 | $4.2M | 896 t |
| November 2024 | $10.3M | -10.3% | 2,709 t | $3.81 | $4.9M | 948 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.