Electric motors and generators: South Korea exports and imports
HS 8501 · 전동기와 발전기(발전세트는 제외한다) · latest month: October 2026
Exports, October 2026
$177.6M
+10.3% vs previous month
vs same month a year earlier
+54.3%
export value
Exports, last 12 months
$1.64B
+8.1% vs 12 months before
Imports, October 2026
$411.2M
Export value per kg
$19.34
net weight, October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $177.6 million of electric motors and generators (HS 8501), up 10.3% from September 2026 and up 54.3% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of electric motors and generators (HS 8501) totalled $1.64 billion, up 8.1% from the 12 months before ($1.52 billion).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was the United States ($522.8 million, 31.8% of the total), followed by China and Mexico.
That was 0.3% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 85 (electrical machinery and electronics) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $411.2 million (up 32.8% from October 2025), leaving a deficit of $233.6 million for the month.
Official description of HS 8501: Electric motors and generators (excluding generating sets).
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 8501
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8501.10 | Motors of an output not exceeding 37.5 W | $438.2M | 26.7% | +13.3% | $40.6M |
| 8501.10.1000 | DC motors | $400.4M | 91.4% | +14.4% | $37.5M |
| 8501.10.2000 | AC motors | $22.5M | 5.1% | -5.8% | $1.7M |
| 8501.10.3000 | Universal AC/DC motors | $15.3M | 3.5% | +20.4% | $1.4M |
| 8501.20 | Universal AC/DC motors of an output exceeding 37.5 W | $13.9M | 0.8% | +23.9% | $2.2M |
| 8501.20.1000 | Of an output exceeding 37.5 W, but not exceeding 100 W | $382K | 2.8% | -32.7% | $19K |
| 8501.20.2000 | Of an output exceeding 100 W, but not exceeding 750 W | $12.9M | 92.7% | +33.8% | $2.2M |
| 8501.20.3000 | Of an output exceeding 750 W | $635K | 4.6% | -37.6% | $21K |
| 8501.31 | Of an output not exceeding 750 W | $623.9M | 38.0% | +6.4% | $56.8M |
| 8501.31.1010 | Of an output not exceeding 100 W | $251.9M | 40.4% | +14.6% | $24.3M |
| 8501.31.1090 | Other | $364.3M | 58.4% | +1.1% | $31.6M |
| 8501.31.2000 | DC generators | $7.6M | 1.2% | +28.8% | $875K |
| 8501.32 | Of an output exceeding 750 W but not exceeding 75 kW | $44.5M | 2.7% | -0.2% | $6.7M |
| 8501.32.1000 | DC motors | $23.9M | 53.6% | -26.8% | $2.1M |
| 8501.32.2000 | DC generators | $20.6M | 46.4% | +71.8% | $4.6M |
| 8501.33 | Of an output exceeding 75 kW but not exceeding 375 kW | $48.4M | 2.9% | -7.9% | $3.8M |
| 8501.33.1000 | DC motors | $41.1M | 84.8% | -15.5% | $3.8M |
| 8501.33.2000 | Of an output exceeding 75 kW but not exceeding 375 kW | $0 | 0.0% | -100.0% | $0 |
| 8501.33.2010 | Fuel cell stack | $5.7M | 11.8% | +59.4% | $0 |
| 8501.33.2090 | Other | $1.6M | 3.3% | +477.5% | $3,255 |
| 8501.34 | Of an output exceeding 375 kW | $736K | 0.0% | +5.5% | $0 |
| 8501.34.1000 | DC motors | $338K | 46.0% | +145.5% | $0 |
| 8501.34.2000 | DC generators | $398K | 54.0% | -29.0% | $0 |
| 8501.40 | Other AC motors, single-phase | $64.1M | 3.9% | +13.7% | $5.4M |
| 8501.40.1000 | Of an output not exceeding 100 W | $39.6M | 61.7% | +21.5% | $4.0M |
| 8501.40.2000 | Of an output exceeding 100 W but not exceeding 750 W | $16.4M | 25.5% | +41.3% | $1.0M |
| 8501.40.3000 | Of an output exceeding 750 W but not exceeding 75 kW | $5.1M | 7.9% | -50.4% | $177K |
| 8501.40.4000 | Of an output exceeding 75 kW | $3.1M | 4.8% | +53.1% | $170K |
| 8501.51 | Of an output not exceeding 750 W | $65.8M | 4.0% | +2.2% | $6.7M |
| 8501.52 | Of an output exceeding 750 W but not exceeding 75 kW | $83.0M | 5.0% | -9.0% | $5.9M |
| 8501.52.0000 | Of an output exceeding 750 W but not exceeding 75 kW | $0 | 0.0% | -100.0% | $0 |
| 8501.52.1000 | Propulsion motor for electric vehicles (including hybrid types) | $15.5M | 18.6% | -28.5% | $539K |
| 8501.52.9000 | Other | $67.5M | 81.4% | +28.7% | $5.4M |
| 8501.53 | Of an output exceeding 75 kW | $189.9M | 11.6% | -1.0% | $21.4M |
| 8501.53.1000 | Of an output exceeding 75 kW | $0 | 0.0% | -100.0% | $0 |
| 8501.53.1010 | Propulsion motor for electric vehicles (including hybrid types) | $31.3M | 16.5% | +47.5% | $4.9M |
| 8501.53.1090 | Other | $52.5M | 27.6% | +65.6% | $5.6M |
| 8501.53.2000 | Of an output exceeding 375 kW but not exceeding 1500 kW | $47.7M | 25.1% | -19.8% | $4.0M |
| 8501.53.4000 | Of an output exceeding 1500 kW | $58.4M | 30.8% | -11.8% | $6.9M |
| 8501.61 | Of an output not exceeding 75 kVA | $1.1M | 0.1% | -67.4% | $34K |
| 8501.61.1000 | Of an output not exceeding 750 VA | $504K | 44.5% | -14.7% | $2,790 |
| 8501.61.2000 | Of an output exceeding 750 VA but not exceeding 75 kVA | $629K | 55.5% | -78.2% | $31K |
| 8501.62 | Of an output exceeding 75 kVA but not exceeding 375 kVA | $2.5M | 0.2% | -50.4% | $241K |
| 8501.62.0000 | Of an output exceeding 75 kVA but not exceeding 375 kVA | $0 | 0.0% | -100.0% | $0 |
| 8501.62.1000 | Fuel cell system | $120K | 4.8% | +47.5% | $330 |
| 8501.62.9000 | Other | $2.4M | 95.2% | -50.4% | $240K |
| 8501.63 | Of an output exceeding 375 kVA but not exceeding 750 kVA | $7.9M | 0.5% | +206.5% | $166K |
| 8501.63.1000 | Not less than an output equivalent to 400 kW | $6.1M | 76.4% | +36,376% | $0 |
| 8501.63.9000 | Other | $1.9M | 23.6% | -27.2% | $166K |
| 8501.64 | Of an output exceeding 750 kVA | $58.9M | 3.6% | +154.2% | $27.6M |
| 8501.71 | Of an output not exceeding 50 W | $109K | 0.0% | +106.9% | $0 |
| 8501.72 | Of an output exceeding 50 W | $16K | 0.0% | -41.0% | $206 |
| 8501.72.1000 | Of an output exceeding 50 W but not exceeding 750 W | $15K | 96.7% | -34.6% | $206 |
| 8501.72.2000 | Of an output exceeding 750 W but not exceeding 75 kW | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 8501.72.3000 | Of an output exceeding 75 kW but not exceeding 375 kW | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 8501.72.4000 | Of an output exceeding 375 kW | $520 | 3.3% | – | $0 |
| 8501.80 | Photovoltaic AC generators | $12K | 0.0% | -95.5% | $0 |
| 8501.80.1000 | Of an output not exceeding 750 VA | $11K | 91.6% | -90.9% | $0 |
| 8501.80.2000 | Of an output exceeding 750 VA but not exceeding 75 kVA | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 8501.80.3000 | Of an output exceeding 75 kVA but not exceeding 375 kVA | $0 | 0.0% | -100.0% | $0 |
| 8501.80.4090 | Other | $974 | 8.4% | – | $0 |
| 8501.80.5000 | Of an output exceeding 750 kVA | $0 | 0.0% | – | $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. 167 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 | $522.8M | 31.8% | +11.6% | 1 | $73.7M |
| 2 | China | $241.2M | 14.7% | -5.9% | 2 | $21.8M |
| 3 | Mexico | $141.9M | 8.6% | +16.7% | 3 | $15.4M |
| 4 | India | $90.6M | 5.5% | +24.4% | 4 | $14.0M |
| 5 | Japan | $72.5M | 4.4% | +9.7% | 6 | $6.8M |
| 6 | Hong Kong | $70.9M | 4.3% | +243.2% | 14 | $2.1M |
| 7 | Canada | $63.1M | 3.8% | +20.3% | 8 | $6.0M |
| 8 | Czechia | $53.9M | 3.3% | -18.5% | 5 | $4.1M |
| 9 | Türkiye | $39.7M | 2.4% | +51.5% | 11 | $5.2M |
| 10 | Poland | $39.4M | 2.4% | -30.5% | 7 | $3.2M |
| 11 | Vietnam | $30.0M | 1.8% | -11.0% | 10 | $2.3M |
| 12 | Germany | $29.9M | 1.8% | +20.5% | 12 | $4.7M |
| 13 | Slovakia | $27.7M | 1.7% | -39.1% | 9 | $1.5M |
| 14 | Thailand | $21.4M | 1.3% | +2.7% | 13 | $1.9M |
| 15 | Saudi Arabia | $20.8M | 1.3% | +50.0% | 16 | $1.1M |
| 16 | United Kingdom | $12.4M | 0.8% | -8.6% | 17 | $1.1M |
| 17 | Uzbekistan | $12.0M | 0.7% | +7.8% | 19 | $1.0M |
| 18 | Singapore | $11.6M | 0.7% | +58.4% | 23 | $961K |
| 19 | Taiwan | $11.0M | 0.7% | +24.4% | 21 | $1.1M |
| 20 | Brazil | $10.3M | 0.6% | +14.7% | 20 | $527K |
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 | $177.6M | +54.3% | 9,186 t | $19.34 | $411.2M | 12,197 t |
| September 2026 | $161.0M | +11.5% | 8,791 t | $18.31 | $474.3M | 11,237 t |
| August 2026 | $130.5M | +12.4% | 7,115 t | $18.34 | $422.9M | 9,759 t |
| July 2026 | $169.1M | +18.0% | 9,138 t | $18.51 | $349.1M | 10,826 t |
| June 2026 | $135.7M | +7.2% | 8,163 t | $16.63 | $296.7M | 10,805 t |
| May 2026 | $120.7M | -4.1% | 7,419 t | $16.27 | $310.9M | 10,059 t |
| April 2026 | $132.5M | +0.7% | 7,774 t | $17.05 | $296.3M | 10,169 t |
| March 2026 | $127.8M | +3.9% | 7,676 t | $16.64 | $261.9M | 9,418 t |
| February 2026 | $114.3M | -10.8% | 6,792 t | $16.83 | $248.3M | 8,989 t |
| January 2026 | $117.7M | +0.6% | 6,846 t | $17.19 | $272.6M | 9,981 t |
| December 2025 | $137.4M | +7.7% | 9,939 t | $13.83 | $310.6M | 10,288 t |
| November 2025 | $118.3M | -2.6% | 7,728 t | $15.31 | $310.9M | 9,044 t |
| October 2025 | $115.1M | -1.9% | 6,592 t | $17.46 | $309.6M | 8,747 t |
| September 2025 | $144.4M | +23.5% | 8,456 t | $17.08 | $311.2M | 10,058 t |
| August 2025 | $116.2M | -4.3% | 6,825 t | $17.02 | $410.1M | 10,563 t |
| July 2025 | $143.3M | +9.3% | 8,879 t | $16.14 | $280.4M | 11,478 t |
| June 2025 | $126.7M | +9.5% | 7,265 t | $17.44 | $224.0M | 9,067 t |
| May 2025 | $125.9M | -5.5% | 8,216 t | $15.32 | $339.2M | 11,058 t |
| April 2025 | $131.6M | -6.7% | 8,432 t | $15.61 | $316.6M | 14,827 t |
| March 2025 | $122.9M | -1.9% | 8,492 t | $14.47 | $282.0M | 12,416 t |
| February 2025 | $128.1M | +10.8% | 8,011 t | $16.00 | $222.3M | 8,914 t |
| January 2025 | $117.0M | +1.8% | 7,586 t | $15.42 | $235.6M | 9,080 t |
| December 2024 | $127.6M | +8.8% | 8,263 t | $15.44 | $274.3M | 12,061 t |
| November 2024 | $121.5M | +2.4% | 7,585 t | $16.01 | $332.6M | 9,410 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.