Microphones, loudspeakers, headphones and amplifiers: South Korea exports and imports
HS 8518 · 마이크로폰과 그 스탠드, 확성기[인클로저(enclosure)에 장착된 것인지에 상관없다], 헤드폰과 이어폰(마이크로폰이 부착된 것인지에 상관없다), 마이크로폰과 한 개 이상의 확성기로 구성된 세트, 가청주파증폭기, 음향증폭세트 · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $22.4 million of microphones, loudspeakers, headphones and amplifiers (HS 8518), down 4.0% from September 2026 and up 3.2% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of microphones, loudspeakers, headphones and amplifiers (HS 8518) totalled $355.1 million, up 29.8% from the 12 months before ($273.7 million).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was Vietnam ($142.7 million, 40.2% of the total), followed by the United States and China.
That was 0.1% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 85 (electrical machinery and electronics) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $135.2 million (up 0.5% from October 2025), leaving a deficit of $112.8 million for the month.
Official description of HS 8518: Microphones and stands therefor; loudspeakers, whether or not mounted in their enclosures; headphones and earphones, whether or not combined with a microphone, and sets consisting of a microphone and one or more loudspeakers; audio-frequency electric amplifiers; electric sound amplifier sets.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 8518
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8518.10 | Microphones and stands therefor | $39.8M | 11.2% | -11.9% | $3.1M |
| 8518.10.1000 | Microphones having a frequency range of 300 Hz to 3.4KHz with a diameter of not exceeding 10 ㎜ and a height not exceedin | $380K | 1.0% | -41.8% | $19K |
| 8518.10.9010 | Wireless microphones, including a set of wireless microphones | $961K | 2.4% | -20.0% | $6,659 |
| 8518.10.9090 | Other | $38.5M | 96.6% | -11.2% | $3.0M |
| 8518.21 | Single loudspeakers, mounted in their enclosures | $10.2M | 2.9% | +75.9% | $817K |
| 8518.22 | Multiple loudspeakers, mounted in the same enclosure | $4.8M | 1.3% | +7.1% | $335K |
| 8518.29 | Other | $60.8M | 17.1% | +41.9% | $4.4M |
| 8518.29.1000 | For telecommunication use, (without housing, having a frequency range of 300 Hz to 3.4 KHz with a diameter of not exceed | $2.7M | 4.5% | -11.1% | $160K |
| 8518.29.9000 | Other | $58.1M | 95.5% | +46.0% | $4.2M |
| 8518.30 | Headphones and earphones, whether or not combined with a microphone, and sets consisting of a microphone and one or more | $27.4M | 7.7% | +0.5% | $1.9M |
| 8518.30.4000 | Line telephone handsets | $1.5M | 5.5% | -4.3% | $134K |
| 8518.30.9000 | Other | $25.9M | 94.5% | +0.8% | $1.7M |
| 8518.40 | Audio-frequency electric amplifiers | $65.8M | 18.5% | +19.0% | $4.7M |
| 8518.50 | Electric sound amplifier sets | $7.5M | 2.1% | +18.3% | $1.7M |
| 8518.90 | Parts | $139.0M | 39.1% | +60.5% | $5.4M |
| 8518.90.1000 | PCA(printed circuit assemblies) of HSK 8518.10-1000, 8518.29-1000 | $577K | 0.4% | +41.7% | $22K |
| 8518.90.9000 | Other | $138.4M | 99.6% | +60.5% | $5.4M |
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. 162 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 | Vietnam | $142.7M | 40.2% | +57.7% | 1 | $5.6M |
| 2 | United States | $105.6M | 29.7% | +56.2% | 2 | $8.1M |
| 3 | China | $27.0M | 7.6% | -13.6% | 3 | $1.9M |
| 4 | Mexico | $10.0M | 2.8% | +55.6% | 6 | $690K |
| 5 | Hong Kong | $9.2M | 2.6% | -1.6% | 5 | $426K |
| 6 | Czechia | $8.4M | 2.4% | -29.3% | 4 | $424K |
| 7 | India | $5.7M | 1.6% | +10.4% | 8 | $592K |
| 8 | Japan | $5.7M | 1.6% | +1.4% | 7 | $547K |
| 9 | Indonesia | $3.6M | 1.0% | -24.3% | 9 | $325K |
| 10 | Netherlands | $3.5M | 1.0% | +3.8% | 12 | $164K |
| 11 | Germany | $2.8M | 0.8% | -27.4% | 10 | $157K |
| 12 | Malaysia | $2.6M | 0.7% | +210.2% | 26 | $225K |
| 13 | United Arab Emirates | $2.3M | 0.7% | +56.9% | 18 | $1.1M |
| 14 | United Kingdom | $2.1M | 0.6% | +28.5% | 17 | $216K |
| 15 | Thailand | $1.9M | 0.5% | +58.1% | 21 | $195K |
| 16 | Türkiye | $1.8M | 0.5% | +9.7% | 16 | $117K |
| 17 | France | $1.7M | 0.5% | -43.5% | 14 | $112K |
| 18 | Singapore | $1.7M | 0.5% | -7.0% | 15 | $60K |
| 19 | Philippines | $1.4M | 0.4% | -55.2% | 13 | $182K |
| 20 | Brazil | $1.3M | 0.4% | +10.7% | 22 | $66K |
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 | $22.4M | +3.2% | 519 t | $43.13 | $135.2M | 2,871 t |
| September 2026 | $23.3M | -3.7% | 578 t | $40.33 | $127.4M | 2,596 t |
| August 2026 | $24.6M | +29.8% | 597 t | $41.17 | $97.0M | 2,457 t |
| July 2026 | $27.7M | +1.4% | 694 t | $39.97 | $125.3M | 2,617 t |
| June 2026 | $25.4M | +7.9% | 624 t | $40.62 | $99.8M | 2,723 t |
| May 2026 | $22.0M | +9.0% | 525 t | $41.86 | $105.5M | 2,635 t |
| April 2026 | $25.5M | +7.0% | 722 t | $35.26 | $117.1M | 2,903 t |
| March 2026 | $25.6M | -10.7% | 729 t | $35.17 | $118.6M | 2,314 t |
| February 2026 | $34.3M | +55.4% | 498 t | $68.89 | $100.4M | 2,562 t |
| January 2026 | $45.6M | +136.1% | 644 t | $70.72 | $148.0M | 2,892 t |
| December 2025 | $45.1M | +106.9% | 698 t | $64.54 | $139.2M | 3,128 t |
| November 2025 | $33.7M | +52.3% | 537 t | $62.76 | $123.2M | 2,675 t |
| October 2025 | $21.7M | +6.2% | 530 t | $40.89 | $134.5M | 2,453 t |
| September 2025 | $24.2M | +24.3% | 674 t | $35.93 | $138.9M | 2,599 t |
| August 2025 | $18.9M | -8.2% | 607 t | $31.18 | $113.1M | 2,670 t |
| July 2025 | $27.4M | +10.0% | 686 t | $39.88 | $130.8M | 2,662 t |
| June 2025 | $23.5M | +16.1% | 563 t | $41.77 | $108.6M | 2,672 t |
| May 2025 | $20.2M | -6.8% | 511 t | $39.49 | $118.7M | 2,789 t |
| April 2025 | $23.8M | +22.2% | 501 t | $47.54 | $127.6M | 2,951 t |
| March 2025 | $28.7M | +69.6% | 406 t | $70.71 | $110.4M | 2,705 t |
| February 2025 | $22.1M | +13.4% | 421 t | $52.47 | $106.7M | 2,294 t |
| January 2025 | $19.3M | -1.9% | 297 t | $64.98 | $122.8M | 2,711 t |
| December 2024 | $21.8M | +16.2% | 401 t | $54.39 | $127.4M | 3,163 t |
| November 2024 | $22.1M | +3.4% | 376 t | $58.86 | $125.3M | 2,616 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.