Zirconium and articles thereof, including waste and scrap: South Korea exports and imports
HS 8109 · 지르코늄과 그 제품[웨이스트(waste)와 스크랩(scrap)을 포함한다] · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $25,770 of zirconium and articles thereof, including waste and scrap (HS 8109), down 98.9% from September 2026 and down 81.9% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of zirconium and articles thereof, including waste and scrap (HS 8109) totalled $11.0 million, up 5.0% from the 12 months before ($10.5 million).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was the United States ($9.9 million, 89.7% of the total), followed by Germany and Japan.
That was 1.6% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 81 (other base metals) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $6.2 million (down 14.2% from October 2025), leaving a deficit of $6.1 million for the month.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 8109
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8109.21 | Containing less than 1 part hafnium to 500 parts zirconium by weight | $1.0M | 9.1% | +43.1% | $3,344 |
| 8109.29 | Other | $62K | 0.6% | -18.3% | $4,853 |
| 8109.31 | Containing less than 1 part hafnium to 500 parts zirconium by weight | $887K | 8.1% | +21.2% | $15K |
| 8109.39 | Other | $42K | 0.4% | +37.3% | $0 |
| 8109.91 | Containing less than 1 part hafnium to 500 parts zirconium by weight | $8.9M | 81.0% | +1.2% | $0 |
| 8109.91.1010 | Tubes and pipes | $7.4M | 83.3% | -14.9% | $0 |
| 8109.91.1020 | Plates, sheets and strips | $1.4M | 15.8% | – | $0 |
| 8109.91.1030 | Bars | $55K | 0.6% | 0.0% | $0 |
| 8109.91.1090 | Other | $30K | 0.3% | – | $0 |
| 8109.91.9000 | Other | $842 | 0.0% | -96.9% | $0 |
| 8109.99 | Other | $94K | 0.9% | -31.9% | $2,275 |
| 8109.99.1010 | Tubes and pipes | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 8109.99.1020 | Plates, sheets and strips | $9,205 | 9.8% | -42.5% | $2,275 |
| 8109.99.1030 | Bars | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 8109.99.1090 | Other | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 8109.99.9000 | Other | $84K | 90.2% | -30.5% | $0 |
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. 20 countries received this product from South Korea in the last 24 months.
| Rank | Country | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | Rank before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | $9.9M | 89.7% | +2.7% | 1 | $4,853 |
| 2 | Germany | $699K | 6.4% | +42.4% | 2 | $0 |
| 3 | Japan | $153K | 1.4% | +52.0% | 4 | $5,619 |
| 4 | Vietnam | $74K | 0.7% | -27.0% | 3 | $0 |
| 5 | Bulgaria | $61K | 0.6% | – | – | $0 |
| 6 | Estonia | $46K | 0.4% | – | – | $15K |
| 7 | Türkiye | $37K | 0.3% | -62.1% | 5 | $0 |
| 8 | Netherlands | $31K | 0.3% | – | – | $0 |
| 9 | Philippines | $7,798 | 0.1% | – | 9 | $0 |
| 10 | Qatar | $6,930 | 0.1% | -64.5% | 7 | $0 |
| 11 | Canada | $5,950 | 0.1% | – | 14 | $0 |
| 12 | Hong Kong | $3,455 | 0.0% | – | – | $0 |
| 13 | Sweden | $1,070 | 0.0% | – | – | $0 |
| 14 | Australia | $522 | 0.0% | – | 11 | $0 |
| 15 | Thailand | $320 | 0.0% | – | 13 | $0 |
| 16 | Switzerland | $292 | 0.0% | – | – | $0 |
| 17 | India | $62 | 0.0% | -99.6% | 8 | $0 |
| – | China | $0 | 0.0% | -100.0% | 6 | $0 |
| – | Czechia | $0 | 0.0% | – | 10 | $0 |
| – | Malaysia | $0 | 0.0% | – | 12 | $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 | $26K | -81.9% | 3.5 t | $7.42 | $6.2M | 33.1 t |
| September 2026 | $2.3M | -29.7% | 5.3 t | $433.28 | $5.8M | 33.3 t |
| August 2026 | $3.0M | +1,864% | 13.6 t | $223.72 | $8.4M | 28.6 t |
| July 2026 | $1.4M | +1,043% | 5.9 t | $244.17 | $6.6M | 39.6 t |
| June 2026 | $214K | -93.3% | 2.5 t | $85.11 | $313K | 6.6 t |
| May 2026 | $268K | +108.1% | 5.0 t | $53.34 | $8.8M | 31.5 t |
| April 2026 | $870K | +17.9% | 46.2 t | $18.85 | $6.4M | 40.0 t |
| March 2026 | $48K | +19.9% | 56 kg | $857.46 | $4.2M | 29.0 t |
| February 2026 | $68K | -56.2% | 151 kg | $453.17 | $5.3M | 34.5 t |
| January 2026 | $150K | +94.6% | 5.6 t | $26.74 | $4.4M | 14.2 t |
| December 2025 | $79K | -96.7% | 1.8 t | $43.93 | $5.0M | 23.2 t |
| November 2025 | $2.5M | +18,829% | 9.4 t | $263.27 | $9.2M | 39.7 t |
| October 2025 | $142K | +142.1% | 572 kg | $249.12 | $7.2M | 43.1 t |
| September 2025 | $3.3M | +5.6% | 14.0 t | $234.35 | $1.2M | 8.0 t |
| August 2025 | $155K | +106.8% | 653 kg | $237.42 | $4.5M | 24.5 t |
| July 2025 | $125K | -96.2% | 7.6 t | $16.52 | $7.6M | 34.3 t |
| June 2025 | $3.2M | +4,052% | 10.5 t | $301.62 | $4.2M | 21.8 t |
| May 2025 | $129K | +24.1% | 4.7 t | $27.65 | $6.4M | 55.4 t |
| April 2025 | $738K | +2,195% | 36.7 t | $20.10 | $9.2M | 50.4 t |
| March 2025 | $40K | -70.8% | 89 kg | $450.02 | $3.1M | 18.0 t |
| February 2025 | $156K | -68.5% | 3.9 t | $39.73 | $6.6M | 35.0 t |
| January 2025 | $77K | -29.8% | 4.4 t | $17.42 | $3.2M | 21.2 t |
| December 2024 | $2.4M | +17.3% | 6.8 t | $358.26 | $6.8M | 48.9 t |
| November 2024 | $13K | -44.5% | 2.7 t | $4.86 | $700K | 5.5 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.