Telephones, smartphones and network equipment: South Korea exports and imports
HS 8517 · 전화기(셀룰러 통신망용이나 그 밖의 무선통신망용의 스마트폰과 그 밖의 전화기를 포함한다)와 음성ㆍ영상이나 그 밖의 자료의 송신용ㆍ수신용 그 밖의 기기(근거리 통신망이나 원거리 통신망과 같은 유선ㆍ무선 통신망에서 통신하기 위한 기기를 포함하며, 제8443호ㆍ제8525호ㆍ제8527호ㆍ제8528호의 송신용ㆍ수신용 기기는 제외한다) · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $812.8 million of telephones, smartphones and network equipment (HS 8517), down 4.2% from September 2026 and up 28.9% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of telephones, smartphones and network equipment (HS 8517) totalled $9.82 billion, up 41.5% from the 12 months before ($6.94 billion).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was the United States ($3.08 billion, 31.3% of the total), followed by Hong Kong and Vietnam.
That was 2.1% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 85 (electrical machinery and electronics) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $1.15 billion (up 25.0% from October 2025), leaving a deficit of $334.6 million for the month.
Official description of HS 8517: Telephone sets, including smartphones and other telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks; other apparatus for the transmission or reception of voice, images or other data, including apparatus for communication in a wired or wireless network (such as a local or wide area network), other than transmission or reception apparatus of heading 84.43, 85.25, 85.27 or 85.28.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 8517
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8517.11 | Line telephone sets with cordless handsets | $253K | 0.0% | -82.3% | $26K |
| 8517.13 | Smartphones | $6.89B | 70.1% | +86.4% | $571.4M |
| 8517.14 | Other telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks | $13.3M | 0.1% | +88.9% | $177K |
| 8517.14.1000 | Of synchronous code division multiple access type | $80K | 0.6% | +68.9% | $40K |
| 8517.14.2000 | Of asynchronous time division multiple access type | $5.8M | 43.7% | +808.7% | $280 |
| 8517.14.3000 | Of asynchronous code division multiple access type | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 8517.14.4000 | Of synchronous orthogonal frequency division multiple access type | $0 | 0.0% | -100.0% | $0 |
| 8517.14.9000 | Other | $7.4M | 55.7% | +17.4% | $136K |
| 8517.18 | Other | $2.9M | 0.0% | -1.3% | $120K |
| 8517.61 | Base stations | $29.4M | 0.3% | +98.2% | $728K |
| 8517.62 | Machines for the reception, conversion and transmission or regeneration of voice, images or other data, including Other | $1.09B | 11.1% | +18.5% | $106.0M |
| 8517.62.1010 | For line telecommunication | $39.7M | 3.7% | +67.6% | $2.4M |
| 8517.62.1020 | For radio-telecommunication | $454.3M | 41.8% | +13.9% | $43.2M |
| 8517.62.2030 | For line telecommunication | $19.7M | 1.8% | +39.8% | $1.8M |
| 8517.62.2040 | For radio-telecommunication | $3.4M | 0.3% | +126.5% | $104K |
| 8517.62.3010 | For line telecommunication | $49.7M | 4.6% | -14.9% | $3.7M |
| 8517.62.3020 | For radio-telecommunication | $10.1M | 0.9% | -22.7% | $733K |
| 8517.62.9010 | Of a type used incorporated in or in connection of automatic data processing machines | $37.5M | 3.4% | -24.7% | $2.9M |
| 8517.62.9020 | Other, for line telecommunication | $110.4M | 10.1% | +26.0% | $7.8M |
| 8517.62.9030 | Other, for radio-telecommunication | $363.3M | 33.4% | +34.1% | $43.4M |
| 8517.69 | Other | $31.9M | 0.3% | +10.8% | $2.6M |
| 8517.69.3000 | For line telecommunication | $11.8M | 36.9% | +6.7% | $721K |
| 8517.69.4000 | For radio-telecommunication | $20.1M | 63.1% | +13.4% | $1.9M |
| 8517.71 | Aerials and aerial reflectors of all kinds; parts suitable for use therewith | $197.7M | 2.0% | +62.6% | $11.2M |
| 8517.71.1000 | Of telephone for wireless networks | $95.0M | 48.0% | +388.7% | $3.6M |
| 8517.71.9000 | Other | $102.8M | 52.0% | +0.6% | $7.6M |
| 8517.79 | Other | $1.57B | 16.0% | -27.1% | $120.5M |
| 8517.79.1010 | Of line telephone sets | $1.3M | 0.1% | -16.8% | $142K |
| 8517.79.1020 | Of smartphones | $914.4M | 58.3% | -40.5% | $67.4M |
| 8517.79.1030 | Other | $121.6M | 7.7% | +253.8% | $12.3M |
| 8517.79.2000 | Of subheading 8517.61 | $97.9M | 6.2% | -32.9% | $8.2M |
| 8517.79.3000 | Of subheading 8517.62 | $254.9M | 16.2% | +2.6% | $20.0M |
| 8517.79.4000 | Of subheading 8517.69 | $179.0M | 11.4% | -3.9% | $12.6M |
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. 186 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 | $3.08B | 31.3% | +106.9% | 1 | $288.4M |
| 2 | Hong Kong | $1.08B | 11.0% | +342.7% | 8 | $74.5M |
| 3 | Vietnam | $970.2M | 9.9% | -2.9% | 2 | $65.2M |
| 4 | United Kingdom | $450.2M | 4.6% | +37.4% | 7 | $31.7M |
| 5 | China | $446.4M | 4.5% | -37.2% | 3 | $49.5M |
| 6 | Austria | $393.6M | 4.0% | -16.8% | 4 | $24.5M |
| 7 | Germany | $369.5M | 3.8% | -9.8% | 5 | $32.5M |
| 8 | United Arab Emirates | $342.9M | 3.5% | +82.2% | 12 | $25.6M |
| 9 | Canada | $318.6M | 3.2% | -13.9% | 6 | $18.8M |
| 10 | France | $267.1M | 2.7% | +70.2% | 13 | $26.3M |
| 11 | Netherlands | $255.2M | 2.6% | +35.0% | 11 | $19.1M |
| 12 | Japan | $224.9M | 2.3% | +13.9% | 10 | $26.5M |
| 13 | Italy | $172.9M | 1.8% | +39.6% | 15 | $22.7M |
| 14 | Spain | $166.3M | 1.7% | +195.5% | 17 | $8.7M |
| 15 | Sweden | $154.8M | 1.6% | +479.7% | 25 | $6.9M |
| 16 | India | $145.6M | 1.5% | -33.1% | 9 | $13.9M |
| 17 | Philippines | $110.4M | 1.1% | -22.0% | 14 | $1.7M |
| 18 | Saudi Arabia | $94.3M | 1.0% | +1,349% | 37 | $289K |
| 19 | Singapore | $94.0M | 1.0% | +72.7% | 18 | $11.9M |
| 20 | Kazakhstan | $77.8M | 0.8% | +47.5% | 19 | $9.7M |
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 | $812.8M | +28.9% | 1,003 t | $810.44 | $1.15B | 1,891 t |
| September 2026 | $848.2M | +21.6% | 946 t | $896.75 | $1.86B | 2,076 t |
| August 2026 | $694.8M | +18.3% | 912 t | $762.14 | $1.17B | 1,746 t |
| July 2026 | $1.17B | +122.9% | 1,243 t | $945.21 | $1.39B | 2,023 t |
| June 2026 | $770.4M | +62.3% | 1,007 t | $765.03 | $1.15B | 2,341 t |
| May 2026 | $715.6M | +7.4% | 918 t | $779.29 | $750.9M | 1,717 t |
| April 2026 | $802.1M | +13.4% | 1,205 t | $665.57 | $758.6M | 1,979 t |
| March 2026 | $818.4M | +52.5% | 1,062 t | $770.64 | $1.10B | 2,035 t |
| February 2026 | $717.3M | +42.5% | 805 t | $891.37 | $1.03B | 1,785 t |
| January 2026 | $1.10B | +165.1% | 1,135 t | $972.59 | $863.1M | 2,019 t |
| December 2025 | $712.9M | +61.4% | 1,169 t | $609.77 | $1.07B | 2,493 t |
| November 2025 | $649.4M | -13.7% | 1,072 t | $606.06 | $986.4M | 2,178 t |
| October 2025 | $630.4M | -13.2% | 935 t | $674.41 | $917.8M | 1,956 t |
| September 2025 | $697.3M | +9.5% | 1,196 t | $583.11 | $1.35B | 2,217 t |
| August 2025 | $587.1M | -19.5% | 1,045 t | $561.76 | $629.8M | 2,002 t |
| July 2025 | $527.2M | -10.8% | 953 t | $553.53 | $976.1M | 2,094 t |
| June 2025 | $474.7M | -16.1% | 1,062 t | $447.02 | $749.4M | 1,991 t |
| May 2025 | $666.1M | +2.0% | 1,029 t | $647.50 | $659.8M | 1,911 t |
| April 2025 | $707.4M | +17.3% | 1,002 t | $706.04 | $673.8M | 1,976 t |
| March 2025 | $536.7M | -8.9% | 910 t | $589.61 | $634.7M | 1,943 t |
| February 2025 | $503.3M | -8.0% | 894 t | $563.03 | $571.6M | 1,659 t |
| January 2025 | $416.6M | -33.4% | 736 t | $565.89 | $671.9M | 1,978 t |
| December 2024 | $441.7M | -5.2% | 909 t | $486.08 | $603.2M | 2,127 t |
| November 2024 | $752.7M | +4.6% | 1,070 t | $703.39 | $773.4M | 2,140 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.