Electrical and electronic waste and scrap: South Korea exports and imports
HS 8549 · 전기ㆍ전자 웨이스트(waste)와 스크랩(scrap) · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $5.5 million of electrical and electronic waste and scrap (HS 8549), down 19.2% from September 2026 and up 92.5% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of electrical and electronic waste and scrap (HS 8549) totalled $74.8 million, up 110.7% from the 12 months before ($35.5 million).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was Japan ($70.4 million, 94.1% of the total), followed by the Philippines and India.
That was 0.0% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 85 (electrical machinery and electronics) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $94.7 million (up 48.3% from October 2025), leaving a deficit of $89.1 million for the month.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 8549
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8549.11 | Waste and scrap of lead-acid accumulators; spent lead-acid accumulators | $2.0M | 2.7% | +310.1% | $0 |
| 8549.12 | Other, containing lead, cadmium or mercury | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 8549.12.1000 | Containing lead | $0 | – | – | $0 |
| 8549.12.2000 | Containing cadmium | $0 | – | – | $0 |
| 8549.12.3000 | Containing mercury | $0 | – | – | $0 |
| 8549.13 | Sorted by chemical type and not containing lead, cadmium or mercury | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 8549.14 | Unsorted and not containing lead, cadmium or mercury | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 8549.14.1000 | Containing iron and steel, copper, nickel or zinc | $0 | – | – | $0 |
| 8549.14.2000 | Containing manganese | $0 | – | – | $0 |
| 8549.14.9000 | Other | $0 | – | – | $0 |
| 8549.19 | Other | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 8549.21 | Containing primary cells, primary batteries, electric accumulators, mercury-switches, glass from cathode-ray tubes or ot | $40.7M | 54.4% | +110.8% | $2.8M |
| 8549.21.1000 | Containing iron and steel, copper, nickel , lead or zinc | $37.6M | 92.4% | +114.3% | $2.5M |
| 8549.21.2000 | Containing glass, cadmium or manganese | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 8549.21.9000 | Other | $3.1M | 7.6% | +76.1% | $280K |
| 8549.29 | Other | $29.4M | 39.3% | +123.2% | $2.5M |
| 8549.29.1000 | Containing iron and steel, copper, nickel , lead or zinc | $7.5M | 25.5% | +207.4% | $441K |
| 8549.29.9000 | Other | $21.9M | 74.5% | +104.1% | $2.0M |
| 8549.31 | Containing primary cells, primary batteries, electric accumulators, mercury-switches, glass from cathode-ray tubes or ot | $2,804 | 0.0% | -96.1% | $0 |
| 8549.31.1000 | Containing iron and steel, copper, nickel , lead or zinc | $2,690 | 95.9% | – | $0 |
| 8549.31.2000 | Containing glass, cadmium or manganese | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 8549.31.9000 | Other | $114 | 4.1% | -99.8% | $0 |
| 8549.39 | Other | $1.0M | 1.4% | +1,800% | $220 |
| 8549.39.1000 | Containing iron and steel, copper, nickel , lead or zinc | $704K | 67.4% | – | $0 |
| 8549.39.9000 | Other | $340K | 32.6% | +520.5% | $220 |
| 8549.91 | Containing primary cells, primary batteries, electric accumulators, mercury-switches, glass from cathode-ray tubes or ot | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 8549.91.1000 | Containing iron and steel, copper, nickel , lead or zinc | $0 | – | – | $0 |
| 8549.91.9000 | Other | $0 | – | – | $0 |
| 8549.99 | Other | $1.6M | 2.1% | -33.1% | $208K |
| 8549.99.1000 | Containing iron and steel, copper, nickel , lead or zinc | $186K | 11.5% | -68.8% | $123K |
| 8549.99.2000 | Containing glass, cadmium or manganese | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 8549.99.9000 | Other | $1.4M | 88.5% | -21.2% | $85K |
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. 26 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 | Japan | $70.4M | 94.1% | +118.4% | 1 | $5.3M |
| 2 | Philippines | $2.2M | 2.9% | +166.0% | 3 | $208K |
| 3 | India | $2.0M | 2.7% | +310.6% | 4 | $0 |
| 4 | Singapore | $90K | 0.1% | – | – | $0 |
| 5 | United States | $28K | 0.0% | -98.4% | 2 | $0 |
| 6 | Pakistan | $10K | 0.0% | – | – | $0 |
| 7 | Hong Kong | $7,691 | 0.0% | -91.5% | 5 | $0 |
| 8 | Indonesia | $5,429 | 0.0% | – | 11 | $0 |
| 9 | Bangladesh | $4,220 | 0.0% | – | – | $0 |
| 10 | Hungary | $1,950 | 0.0% | – | – | $0 |
| 11 | China | $800 | 0.0% | -97.0% | 6 | $0 |
| 12 | Cambodia | $535 | 0.0% | -97.4% | 7 | $0 |
| 13 | United Arab Emirates | $220 | 0.0% | – | – | $220 |
| 14 | Poland | $152 | 0.0% | – | 17 | $0 |
| 15 | United Kingdom | $60 | 0.0% | – | 12 | $0 |
| 16 | France | $54 | 0.0% | – | 15 | $0 |
| 17 | Vietnam | $1 | 0.0% | – | 9 | $0 |
| – | Austria | $0 | 0.0% | – | 18 | $0 |
| – | Canada | $0 | 0.0% | – | 21 | $0 |
| – | Ecuador | $0 | 0.0% | – | 20 | $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 | $5.5M | +92.5% | 570 t | $9.66 | $94.7M | 70,484 t |
| September 2026 | $6.8M | +86.5% | 500 t | $13.65 | $84.9M | 60,546 t |
| August 2026 | $5.7M | +120.1% | 505 t | $11.28 | $77.3M | 54,433 t |
| July 2026 | $7.0M | +73.4% | 601 t | $11.70 | $86.6M | 63,303 t |
| June 2026 | $9.3M | +93.6% | 730 t | $12.70 | $79.1M | 58,506 t |
| May 2026 | $4.5M | +22.4% | 638 t | $7.05 | $80.2M | 56,407 t |
| April 2026 | $7.7M | +382.1% | 818 t | $9.46 | $78.4M | 59,163 t |
| March 2026 | $8.1M | +149.4% | 777 t | $10.45 | $85.3M | 60,105 t |
| February 2026 | $3.4M | +32.5% | 593 t | $5.79 | $66.5M | 53,635 t |
| January 2026 | $6.4M | +167.7% | 903 t | $7.11 | $75.0M | 56,605 t |
| December 2025 | $7.3M | +173.4% | 651 t | $11.19 | $88.3M | 71,528 t |
| November 2025 | $3.0M | +117.9% | 471 t | $6.29 | $69.6M | 58,343 t |
| October 2025 | $2.9M | -42.0% | 470 t | $6.09 | $63.8M | 55,318 t |
| September 2025 | $3.7M | +129.7% | 693 t | $5.28 | $61.6M | 50,554 t |
| August 2025 | $2.6M | +28.7% | 395 t | $6.54 | $58.7M | 53,261 t |
| July 2025 | $4.1M | +48.8% | 371 t | $10.92 | $71.7M | 59,121 t |
| June 2025 | $4.8M | +184.8% | 464 t | $10.34 | $67.5M | 62,291 t |
| May 2025 | $3.7M | +107.7% | 363 t | $10.11 | $62.8M | 53,926 t |
| April 2025 | $1.6M | -49.2% | 175 t | $9.17 | $64.3M | 54,760 t |
| March 2025 | $3.3M | +30.2% | 140 t | $23.26 | $54.5M | 51,781 t |
| February 2025 | $2.6M | +142.5% | 180 t | $14.43 | $52.5M | 47,919 t |
| January 2025 | $2.4M | -20.1% | 127 t | $18.82 | $66.2M | 60,380 t |
| December 2024 | $2.7M | +163.3% | 220 t | $12.11 | $66.7M | 55,729 t |
| November 2024 | $1.4M | -21.3% | 353 t | $3.85 | $58.5M | 54,866 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.