Insulated wire and cable: South Korea exports and imports
HS 8544 · 절연(에나멜 도포나 산화피막처리를 한 것을 포함한다) 전선ㆍ케이블(동축케이블을 포함한다)과 그 밖의 전기절연도체(이것은 접속자가 부착된 것인지에 상관없다), 광섬유 케이블(섬유를 개별 피복하여 만든 것으로 한정하며, 전기도체나 접속자가 부착된 것인지에 상관없다) · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $557.0 million of insulated wire and cable (HS 8544), up 18.2% from September 2026 and up 68.2% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of insulated wire and cable (HS 8544) totalled $4.92 billion, up 8.1% from the 12 months before ($4.56 billion).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was the United States ($1.53 billion, 31.1% of the total), followed by Vietnam and China.
That was 1.0% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 85 (electrical machinery and electronics) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $478.6 million (up 35.0% from October 2025), leaving a surplus of $78.4 million for the month.
Official description of HS 8544: Insulated (including enamelled or anodised) wire, cable (including co-axial cable) and other insulated electric conductors; whether or not fitted with connectors; optical fibre cables, made up of individually sheathed fibres, whether or not assembled with electric conductors or fitted with connectors.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 8544
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8544.11 | Of copper | $212.2M | 4.3% | +4.2% | $19.8M |
| 8544.11.1000 | Insulating lacquer or enamel insulated | $63.2M | 29.8% | +0.4% | $5.0M |
| 8544.11.9000 | Other | $149.0M | 70.2% | +5.9% | $14.9M |
| 8544.19 | Other | $20.1M | 0.4% | -31.0% | $1.8M |
| 8544.20 | Co-axial cable and other co-axial electric conductors | $159.2M | 3.2% | +17.2% | $15.8M |
| 8544.30 | Ignition wiring sets and other wiring sets of a kind used in vehicles, aircraft or ships | $632.5M | 12.8% | -22.6% | $63.2M |
| 8544.42 | Fitted with connectors | $477.6M | 9.7% | +8.6% | $46.2M |
| 8544.42.1010 | Of a kind used for telecommunications | $1.2M | 0.2% | -29.1% | $104K |
| 8544.42.1090 | Other | $1.6M | 0.3% | +41.0% | $606K |
| 8544.42.2010 | Of a kind used for telecommunications | $6.3M | 1.3% | +22.1% | $586K |
| 8544.42.2090 | Other | $334.0M | 69.9% | +3.0% | $30.0M |
| 8544.42.9010 | Of a kind used for telecommunications | $1.8M | 0.4% | +63.6% | $145K |
| 8544.42.9090 | Other | $132.7M | 27.8% | +24.7% | $14.8M |
| 8544.49 | Other | $1.79B | 36.3% | +14.1% | $218.9M |
| 8544.49.1011 | For a voltage not exceeding 80 V | $510K | 0.0% | +534.6% | $172K |
| 8544.49.1012 | For a voltage exceeding 80V but not exceeding 1,000 V | $4.0M | 0.2% | +47.6% | $508K |
| 8544.49.1090 | Other | $1.3M | 0.1% | -15.1% | $265K |
| 8544.49.2011 | For a voltage not exceeding 80 V | $49.9M | 2.8% | +4.5% | $6.6M |
| 8544.49.2012 | For a voltage exceeding 80 V but not exceeding 1,000 V | $211.9M | 11.8% | +21.9% | $50.4M |
| 8544.49.2090 | Other | $1.15B | 64.5% | +13.4% | $124.6M |
| 8544.49.9011 | For a voltage not exceeding 80 V | $1.9M | 0.1% | +37.2% | $66K |
| 8544.49.9012 | For a voltage exceeding 80 V but not exceeding 1,000 V | $5.7M | 0.3% | -10.5% | $374K |
| 8544.49.9090 | Other | $360.0M | 20.1% | +13.8% | $36.0M |
| 8544.60 | Other electric conductors, for a voltage exceeding 1,000 V | $1.48B | 30.1% | +16.4% | $173.5M |
| 8544.60.1010 | Plastic insulated wire | $121.0M | 8.2% | +90.0% | $11.2M |
| 8544.60.1090 | Other | $56.5M | 3.8% | +110.4% | $1.9M |
| 8544.60.2010 | Plastic insulated wire | $447.2M | 30.2% | +24.8% | $61.1M |
| 8544.60.2090 | Other | $15.6M | 1.1% | +8.6% | $2.3M |
| 8544.60.3010 | Plastic insulated wire | $812.6M | 54.9% | +24.3% | $96.8M |
| 8544.60.3090 | Other | $27.9M | 1.9% | -82.0% | $256K |
| 8544.70 | Optical fibre cables | $153.6M | 3.1% | +69.7% | $17.6M |
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. 187 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 | $1.53B | 31.1% | +42.7% | 1 | $209.6M |
| 2 | Vietnam | $628.0M | 12.8% | +18.8% | 3 | $67.3M |
| 3 | China | $580.7M | 11.8% | -2.7% | 2 | $54.4M |
| 4 | Philippines | $248.2M | 5.0% | +21.0% | 6 | $28.8M |
| 5 | Mexico | $164.5M | 3.3% | -34.7% | 5 | $14.9M |
| 6 | Singapore | $160.7M | 3.3% | +21.6% | 8 | $19.6M |
| 7 | Japan | $154.4M | 3.1% | -1.2% | 7 | $15.2M |
| 8 | United Kingdom | $145.3M | 3.0% | +182.1% | 15 | $27.9M |
| 9 | Taiwan | $128.7M | 2.6% | -59.3% | 4 | $2.7M |
| 10 | Malaysia | $117.0M | 2.4% | -1.2% | 10 | $32.1M |
| 11 | Canada | $84.6M | 1.7% | +161.7% | 23 | $2.6M |
| 12 | Netherlands | $75.6M | 1.5% | +189.2% | 27 | $274K |
| 13 | India | $74.9M | 1.5% | -30.3% | 11 | $8.8M |
| 14 | Indonesia | $66.5M | 1.3% | +24.2% | 13 | $7.4M |
| 15 | Australia | $64.6M | 1.3% | +24.7% | 14 | $7.2M |
| 16 | Germany | $62.1M | 1.3% | +39.8% | 16 | $2.4M |
| 17 | Thailand | $48.6M | 1.0% | +52.4% | 25 | $4.4M |
| 18 | Türkiye | $48.2M | 1.0% | +49.0% | 22 | $3.3M |
| 19 | United Arab Emirates | $47.7M | 1.0% | -39.1% | 12 | $1.6M |
| 20 | Qatar | $42.0M | 0.9% | -4.1% | 17 | $9.5M |
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 | $557.0M | +68.2% | 39,588 t | $14.07 | $478.6M | 21,244 t |
| September 2026 | $471.0M | +16.0% | 34,665 t | $13.59 | $450.1M | 20,567 t |
| August 2026 | $375.4M | -0.3% | 28,195 t | $13.31 | $379.1M | 16,838 t |
| July 2026 | $448.6M | +0.4% | 35,095 t | $12.78 | $486.7M | 21,667 t |
| June 2026 | $445.7M | +8.9% | 36,306 t | $12.28 | $494.1M | 22,348 t |
| May 2026 | $352.2M | +4.8% | 28,741 t | $12.25 | $416.7M | 19,873 t |
| April 2026 | $401.0M | -3.8% | 32,162 t | $12.47 | $468.6M | 22,704 t |
| March 2026 | $442.4M | +0.5% | 36,702 t | $12.05 | $433.6M | 20,423 t |
| February 2026 | $332.1M | -21.3% | 28,022 t | $11.85 | $337.2M | 16,599 t |
| January 2026 | $378.7M | +26.7% | 31,080 t | $12.18 | $420.1M | 21,040 t |
| December 2025 | $378.5M | +7.0% | 31,144 t | $12.15 | $424.1M | 20,489 t |
| November 2025 | $341.8M | +7.6% | 28,517 t | $11.99 | $375.2M | 18,493 t |
| October 2025 | $331.2M | -14.1% | 27,293 t | $12.14 | $354.5M | 17,032 t |
| September 2025 | $406.2M | +15.6% | 35,010 t | $11.60 | $395.6M | 19,763 t |
| August 2025 | $376.5M | +25.0% | 30,738 t | $12.25 | $400.8M | 20,073 t |
| July 2025 | $446.9M | +19.4% | 38,538 t | $11.60 | $426.2M | 21,452 t |
| June 2025 | $409.4M | +3.2% | 35,273 t | $11.61 | $447.9M | 24,062 t |
| May 2025 | $336.0M | -10.8% | 28,440 t | $11.82 | $415.3M | 21,269 t |
| April 2025 | $417.0M | +26.6% | 36,061 t | $11.56 | $433.3M | 22,431 t |
| March 2025 | $440.0M | +14.0% | 41,740 t | $10.54 | $442.7M | 24,783 t |
| February 2025 | $421.9M | +6.5% | 39,718 t | $10.62 | $348.2M | 17,637 t |
| January 2025 | $298.9M | -7.5% | 24,625 t | $12.14 | $358.2M | 18,858 t |
| December 2024 | $353.8M | +16.8% | 29,079 t | $12.17 | $403.7M | 19,609 t |
| November 2024 | $317.7M | +4.7% | 25,147 t | $12.63 | $372.4M | 18,796 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.