Reaction initiators, reaction accelerators and catalytic preparations, etc.: South Korea exports and imports
HS 3815 · 반응시작제ㆍ반응촉진제ㆍ촉매 조제품(따로 분류되지 않은 것으로 한정한다) · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $13.7 million of reaction initiators, reaction accelerators and catalytic preparations, etc. (HS 3815), up 12.2% from September 2026 and down 10.9% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of reaction initiators, reaction accelerators and catalytic preparations, etc. (HS 3815) totalled $140.3 million, down 35.0% from the 12 months before ($215.9 million).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was China ($32.0 million, 22.8% of the total), followed by Mexico and the United States.
That was 1.7% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 38 (miscellaneous chemical products) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $127.3 million (up 79.5% from October 2025), leaving a deficit of $113.6 million for the month.
Official description of HS 3815: Reaction initiators, reaction accelerators and catalytic preparations, not elsewhere specified or included.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 3815
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3815.11 | With nickel or nickel compounds as the active substance | $504K | 0.4% | +128.3% | $0 |
| 3815.12 | With precious metal or precious metal compounds as the active substance | $21.9M | 15.6% | -68.0% | $4.3M |
| 3815.12.1000 | With platinium metal or platinium compounds | $7.4M | 33.7% | -80.5% | $752K |
| 3815.12.2000 | Of palladium or palladium compounds | $1.4M | 6.5% | -51.6% | $89K |
| 3815.12.9000 | Other | $13.1M | 59.8% | -52.4% | $3.5M |
| 3815.19 | Other | $60.8M | 43.4% | -31.1% | $5.3M |
| 3815.19.1000 | With iron or iron compounds as the active substance | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 3815.19.2000 | Of titanium or titanium compounds as the active substance | $5.3M | 8.7% | -42.7% | $1.4M |
| 3815.19.9000 | Other | $55.6M | 91.3% | -29.8% | $3.9M |
| 3815.90 | Other | $57.1M | 40.7% | -3.4% | $4.0M |
| 3815.90.1000 | Reaction initiators | $7.4M | 12.9% | +3.8% | $792K |
| 3815.90.9000 | Other | $49.7M | 87.1% | -4.4% | $3.2M |
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. 74 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 | $32.0M | 22.8% | -56.7% | 1 | $1.8M |
| 2 | Mexico | $22.1M | 15.7% | +20.3% | 4 | $1.7M |
| 3 | United States | $14.2M | 10.1% | +22.0% | 5 | $1.0M |
| 4 | Japan | $14.0M | 10.0% | -27.3% | 2 | $3.6M |
| 5 | Singapore | $10.9M | 7.8% | +15.4% | 7 | $1.1M |
| 6 | Vietnam | $8.1M | 5.8% | +10.4% | 9 | $743K |
| 7 | Indonesia | $4.1M | 2.9% | +121.4% | 17 | $1.4M |
| 8 | Chile | $3.9M | 2.8% | – | 53 | $0 |
| 9 | Belgium | $3.8M | 2.7% | +193.9% | 18 | $0 |
| 10 | Thailand | $3.6M | 2.6% | -67.8% | 6 | $46K |
| 11 | United Arab Emirates | $2.7M | 1.9% | +181.1% | 20 | $17K |
| 12 | Germany | $2.5M | 1.8% | +119.0% | 19 | $753K |
| 13 | India | $1.9M | 1.4% | -13.2% | 15 | $92K |
| 14 | Taiwan | $1.9M | 1.3% | -32.0% | 14 | $286K |
| 15 | Poland | $1.9M | 1.3% | -89.9% | 3 | $16 |
| 16 | Türkiye | $1.7M | 1.2% | -67.9% | 11 | $229K |
| 17 | Italy | $1.5M | 1.1% | -49.9% | 13 | $0 |
| 18 | Uzbekistan | $1.4M | 1.0% | -81.7% | 8 | $11K |
| 19 | Canada | $1.3M | 0.9% | -73.4% | 12 | $0 |
| 20 | Spain | $1.3M | 0.9% | +40.3% | 22 | $165K |
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 | $13.7M | -10.9% | 898 t | $15.24 | $127.3M | 6,790 t |
| September 2026 | $12.2M | -41.3% | 1,162 t | $10.49 | $101.7M | 7,301 t |
| August 2026 | $8.4M | -57.4% | 972 t | $8.65 | $166.1M | 7,058 t |
| July 2026 | $10.5M | -42.7% | 1,303 t | $8.02 | $104.3M | 7,524 t |
| June 2026 | $12.8M | +12.4% | 839 t | $15.26 | $97.2M | 8,316 t |
| May 2026 | $13.1M | -12.4% | 1,268 t | $10.32 | $61.0M | 4,474 t |
| April 2026 | $8.4M | -79.6% | 1,716 t | $4.92 | $104.2M | 7,523 t |
| March 2026 | $10.8M | -20.4% | 1,367 t | $7.86 | $115.9M | 8,660 t |
| February 2026 | $9.8M | -32.5% | 1,119 t | $8.78 | $135.9M | 7,879 t |
| January 2026 | $8.8M | -7.6% | 1,939 t | $4.56 | $88.2M | 7,782 t |
| December 2025 | $14.0M | -2.2% | 1,733 t | $8.08 | $81.2M | 8,105 t |
| November 2025 | $17.9M | -19.2% | 1,698 t | $10.53 | $71.0M | 5,945 t |
| October 2025 | $15.3M | +20.5% | 1,410 t | $10.88 | $70.9M | 6,366 t |
| September 2025 | $20.8M | +151.4% | 1,533 t | $13.56 | $155.7M | 9,160 t |
| August 2025 | $19.7M | +162.5% | 1,342 t | $14.72 | $53.4M | 6,415 t |
| July 2025 | $18.2M | +107.0% | 2,048 t | $8.90 | $85.2M | 8,524 t |
| June 2025 | $11.4M | +40.8% | 1,160 t | $9.82 | $66.7M | 6,375 t |
| May 2025 | $14.9M | +15.1% | 1,807 t | $8.27 | $45.4M | 6,142 t |
| April 2025 | $41.4M | +436.3% | 1,779 t | $23.27 | $72.1M | 9,427 t |
| March 2025 | $13.5M | +1.6% | 1,994 t | $6.78 | $103.6M | 7,377 t |
| February 2025 | $14.5M | +16.6% | 2,274 t | $6.39 | $167.3M | 11,327 t |
| January 2025 | $9.6M | -46.9% | 1,068 t | $8.96 | $94.7M | 7,901 t |
| December 2024 | $14.3M | +52.7% | 2,334 t | $6.14 | $85.4M | 8,629 t |
| November 2024 | $22.1M | +108.8% | 1,456 t | $15.20 | $59.2M | 6,148 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.