Finishing agents, etc.: South Korea exports and imports
HS 3809 · 완성가공제, 염색 촉진용ㆍ염료 고착용 염색캐리어, 드레싱ㆍ매염제와 같은 그 밖의 물품과 조제품(섬유산업ㆍ제지산업ㆍ가죽산업 그 밖에 이와 유사한 산업에 사용하는 것으로서 따로 분류되지 않은 것으로 한정한다) · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $12.8 million of finishing agents, etc. (HS 3809), down 4.5% from September 2026 and down 6.0% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of finishing agents, etc. (HS 3809) totalled $166.5 million, up 9.1% from the 12 months before ($152.6 million).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was China ($68.6 million, 41.2% of the total), followed by Vietnam and Indonesia.
That was 2.0% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 38 (miscellaneous chemical products) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $9.3 million (up 6.6% from October 2025), leaving a surplus of $3.6 million for the month.
Official description of HS 3809: Finishing agents, dye carriers to accelerate the dyeing or fixing of dyestuffs and other products and preparations (for example, dressings and mordants), of a kind used in the textile, paper, leather or like industries, not elsewhere specified or included.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 3809
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3809.10 | With a basis of amylaceous substances | $212K | 0.1% | -71.8% | $17K |
| 3809.91 | Of a kind used in the textile or like industries | $133.6M | 80.3% | +9.4% | $10.1M |
| 3809.92 | Of a kind used in the paper or like industries | $26.9M | 16.1% | +14.7% | $2.3M |
| 3809.93 | Of a kind used in the leather or like industries | $5.8M | 3.5% | -7.7% | $404K |
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. 85 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 | $68.6M | 41.2% | +13.1% | 1 | $5.0M |
| 2 | Vietnam | $15.0M | 9.0% | -3.5% | 2 | $1.2M |
| 3 | Indonesia | $12.1M | 7.3% | +30.5% | 5 | $1.2M |
| 4 | Guatemala | $11.5M | 6.9% | +5.6% | 3 | $1.6M |
| 5 | United States | $10.2M | 6.1% | +101.0% | 8 | $249K |
| 6 | Japan | $9.1M | 5.5% | -13.0% | 4 | $964K |
| 7 | Belgium | $7.2M | 4.4% | +27.9% | 7 | $0 |
| 8 | India | $5.8M | 3.5% | -5.3% | 6 | $446K |
| 9 | Thailand | $4.7M | 2.8% | +29.4% | 9 | $239K |
| 10 | Taiwan | $3.9M | 2.3% | +38.3% | 11 | $447K |
| 11 | Bangladesh | $3.5M | 2.1% | +9.4% | 10 | $194K |
| 12 | Türkiye | $2.1M | 1.2% | +12.3% | 14 | $224K |
| 13 | Malaysia | $1.8M | 1.1% | -9.8% | 12 | $211K |
| 14 | Egypt | $1.2M | 0.7% | -26.3% | 15 | $52K |
| 15 | Italy | $1.1M | 0.7% | -26.5% | 16 | $551 |
| 16 | Honduras | $921K | 0.6% | -19.2% | 18 | $13K |
| 17 | Australia | $804K | 0.5% | +23.3% | 21 | $46K |
| 18 | Mexico | $638K | 0.4% | -65.9% | 13 | $101K |
| 19 | Brazil | $614K | 0.4% | -54.3% | 17 | $128K |
| 20 | United Kingdom | $534K | 0.3% | +918.5% | 44 | $119K |
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 | $12.8M | -6.0% | 4,989 t | $2.57 | $9.3M | 4,434 t |
| September 2026 | $13.4M | -3.1% | 4,773 t | $2.82 | $9.2M | 4,508 t |
| August 2026 | $12.3M | -0.2% | 4,715 t | $2.62 | $7.2M | 3,692 t |
| July 2026 | $16.5M | +24.1% | 6,112 t | $2.69 | $8.6M | 4,397 t |
| June 2026 | $14.2M | +22.9% | 4,196 t | $3.38 | $8.6M | 4,041 t |
| May 2026 | $13.3M | +11.9% | 4,346 t | $3.06 | $8.5M | 3,985 t |
| April 2026 | $17.9M | +26.8% | 6,097 t | $2.93 | $9.8M | 4,951 t |
| March 2026 | $14.0M | +2.2% | 4,902 t | $2.85 | $10.2M | 4,524 t |
| February 2026 | $10.2M | -14.7% | 3,844 t | $2.64 | $7.0M | 3,493 t |
| January 2026 | $13.7M | +36.7% | 4,809 t | $2.85 | $8.7M | 4,736 t |
| December 2025 | $15.6M | +13.6% | 5,166 t | $3.03 | $10.6M | 5,333 t |
| November 2025 | $12.5M | +0.3% | 4,969 t | $2.52 | $7.9M | 4,325 t |
| October 2025 | $13.7M | +11.4% | 4,573 t | $2.99 | $8.7M | 4,494 t |
| September 2025 | $13.9M | +21.1% | 5,174 t | $2.68 | $8.6M | 4,336 t |
| August 2025 | $12.4M | +13.0% | 4,361 t | $2.84 | $9.1M | 4,472 t |
| July 2025 | $13.3M | +2.9% | 4,570 t | $2.90 | $9.8M | 4,557 t |
| June 2025 | $11.5M | +2.2% | 4,538 t | $2.54 | $9.2M | 4,545 t |
| May 2025 | $11.9M | +0.9% | 4,627 t | $2.57 | $7.8M | 4,295 t |
| April 2025 | $14.1M | +1.5% | 5,201 t | $2.71 | $9.0M | 4,932 t |
| March 2025 | $13.7M | -0.8% | 5,546 t | $2.46 | $10.2M | 5,063 t |
| February 2025 | $11.9M | +8.8% | 5,219 t | $2.28 | $7.2M | 3,704 t |
| January 2025 | $10.0M | -26.2% | 4,782 t | $2.09 | $7.7M | 3,912 t |
| December 2024 | $13.8M | +16.0% | 5,197 t | $2.65 | $13.3M | 5,928 t |
| November 2024 | $12.5M | -5.9% | 5,436 t | $2.30 | $11.4M | 5,090 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.