Passenger cars: South Korea exports and imports
HS 8703 · 주로 사람을 수송할 수 있도록 설계된 승용자동차와 그 밖의 차량[제8702호의 것은 제외하며, 스테이션왜건(station wagon)과 경주용 자동차를 포함한다] · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $6.10 billion of passenger cars (HS 8703), up 7.0% from September 2026 and up 16.3% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of passenger cars (HS 8703) totalled $67.01 billion, down 1.7% from the 12 months before ($68.20 billion).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was the United States ($30.50 billion, 45.5% of the total), followed by Canada and Australia.
That was 74.0% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 87 (vehicles, parts and accessories) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $1.37 billion (up 41.7% from October 2025), leaving a surplus of $4.73 billion for the month.
Official description of HS 8703: Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons (other than those of heading 87.02), including station wagons and racing cars.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 8703
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8703.10 | Vehicles specially designed for travelling on snow; golf cars and similar vehicles | $5.9M | 0.0% | +30.8% | $686K |
| 8703.10.1000 | For travelling on snow | $41K | 0.7% | -71.8% | $0 |
| 8703.10.2000 | Golf cars | $5.8M | 98.4% | +42.4% | $683K |
| 8703.10.9000 | Other | $56K | 0.9% | -80.8% | $2,892 |
| 8703.21 | Of a cylinder capacity not exceeding 1,000 cc | $2.27B | 3.4% | +16.8% | $207.4M |
| 8703.21.7000 | New | $2.14B | 94.3% | +16.5% | $196.8M |
| 8703.21.8000 | Used | $129.2M | 5.7% | +22.5% | $10.6M |
| 8703.22 | Of a cylinder capacity exceeding 1,000 cc but not exceeding 1,500 cc | $9.09B | 13.6% | 0.0% | $880.2M |
| 8703.22.7000 | New | $8.99B | 98.9% | -0.2% | $871.1M |
| 8703.22.8000 | Used | $103.6M | 1.1% | +21.8% | $9.1M |
| 8703.23 | Of a cylinder capacity exceeding 1,500 cc but not exceeding 3,000 cc | $17.82B | 26.6% | -12.0% | $1.45B |
| 8703.23.1010 | New | $8.77B | 49.2% | -17.5% | $691.1M |
| 8703.23.1020 | Used | $2.16B | 12.1% | -14.1% | $160.2M |
| 8703.23.9010 | New | $5.62B | 31.6% | +3.2% | $530.1M |
| 8703.23.9020 | Used | $1.27B | 7.1% | -23.6% | $72.8M |
| 8703.24 | Of a cylinder capacity exceeding 3,000 cc | $5.93B | 8.8% | -27.9% | $400.5M |
| 8703.24.1010 | New | $5.50B | 92.8% | -28.7% | $372.7M |
| 8703.24.1020 | Used | $294.2M | 5.0% | -19.3% | $16.6M |
| 8703.24.9010 | New | $7.2M | 0.1% | +3.8% | $62K |
| 8703.24.9020 | Used | $123.6M | 2.1% | -0.5% | $11.1M |
| 8703.31 | Of a cylinder capacity not exceeding 1,500 cc | $10.2M | 0.0% | +116.0% | $1.0M |
| 8703.31.7000 | New | $234K | 2.3% | -37.8% | $45K |
| 8703.31.8000 | Used | $10.0M | 97.7% | +129.3% | $984K |
| 8703.32 | Of a cylinder capacity exceeding 1,500 cc but not exceeding 2,500 cc | $2.25B | 3.4% | -35.2% | $145.4M |
| 8703.32.1010 | New | $408.8M | 18.1% | -39.7% | $15.1M |
| 8703.32.1020 | Used | $734.7M | 32.6% | -19.3% | $61.3M |
| 8703.32.9010 | New | $470.6M | 20.9% | -41.4% | $23.9M |
| 8703.32.9020 | Used | $640.5M | 28.4% | -41.2% | $45.1M |
| 8703.33 | Of a cylinder capacity exceeding 2,500 cc | $216.1M | 0.3% | -44.5% | $17.9M |
| 8703.33.7000 | New | $458K | 0.2% | -40.9% | $0 |
| 8703.33.8000 | Used | $215.6M | 99.8% | -44.5% | $17.9M |
| 8703.40 | Other vehicles, with both spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine and electric motor as motors for propulsion, | $18.94B | 28.3% | +39.8% | $1.98B |
| 8703.40.1000 | New | $18.48B | 97.6% | +42.1% | $1.95B |
| 8703.40.2000 | Used | $458.7M | 2.4% | -15.6% | $23.5M |
| 8703.50 | Other vehicles, with both compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel) and electric mo | $79.6M | 0.1% | -4.2% | $10.1M |
| 8703.50.1000 | New | $582K | 0.7% | +22.4% | $90K |
| 8703.50.2000 | Used | $79.0M | 99.3% | -4.4% | $10.0M |
| 8703.60 | Other vehicles, with both spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine and electric motor as motors for propulsion, | $780.6M | 1.2% | -66.6% | $64.4M |
| 8703.60.1000 | New | $768.3M | 98.4% | -66.9% | $63.9M |
| 8703.60.2000 | Used | $12.2M | 1.6% | -20.3% | $511K |
| 8703.70 | Other vehicles, with both compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel) and electric mo | $3.8M | 0.0% | -15.9% | $365K |
| 8703.70.1000 | New | $20K | 0.5% | – | $20K |
| 8703.70.2000 | Used | $3.8M | 99.5% | -16.3% | $345K |
| 8703.80 | Other vehicles, with only electric motor for propulsion | $9.61B | 14.3% | +8.8% | $944.4M |
| 8703.80.1000 | New | $9.60B | 99.8% | +9.0% | $942.8M |
| 8703.80.2000 | Used | $16.9M | 0.2% | -47.2% | $1.6M |
| 8703.90 | Other | $220K | 0.0% | -63.1% | $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. 215 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 | $30.50B | 45.5% | +1.5% | 1 | $2.86B |
| 2 | Canada | $6.56B | 9.8% | +21.5% | 2 | $513.2M |
| 3 | Australia | $3.37B | 5.0% | +15.6% | 3 | $282.3M |
| 4 | United Kingdom | $2.46B | 3.7% | -2.6% | 5 | $170.1M |
| 5 | Germany | $2.23B | 3.3% | +16.8% | 6 | $215.2M |
| 6 | Kyrgyzstan | $1.92B | 2.9% | -33.4% | 4 | $128.0M |
| 7 | Spain | $1.39B | 2.1% | +4.4% | 8 | $150.9M |
| 8 | Netherlands | $1.07B | 1.6% | +16.8% | 13 | $108.6M |
| 9 | Saudi Arabia | $917.1M | 1.4% | -26.0% | 9 | $63.4M |
| 10 | Israel | $860.3M | 1.3% | -14.4% | 11 | $93.0M |
| 11 | Colombia | $819.5M | 1.2% | +53.6% | 18 | $110.8M |
| 12 | Belgium | $735.1M | 1.1% | +26.8% | 17 | $108.0M |
| 13 | Türkiye | $730.4M | 1.1% | -40.7% | 10 | $23.4M |
| 14 | Kazakhstan | $724.7M | 1.1% | -60.7% | 7 | $54.4M |
| 15 | Italy | $716.1M | 1.1% | +8.9% | 15 | $81.3M |
| 16 | Sweden | $703.5M | 1.0% | +20.5% | 16 | $81.3M |
| 17 | France | $676.9M | 1.0% | -19.8% | 14 | $82.8M |
| 18 | Mexico | $658.9M | 1.0% | +24.8% | 19 | $94.7M |
| 19 | Russia | $551.3M | 0.8% | -43.1% | 12 | $43.2M |
| 20 | Taiwan | $421.9M | 0.6% | -3.0% | 21 | $23.2M |
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 | $6.10B | +16.3% | 497,497 t | $12.27 | $1.37B | 68,823 t |
| September 2026 | $5.70B | -5.6% | 463,727 t | $12.30 | $1.61B | 78,305 t |
| August 2026 | $3.64B | -30.1% | 311,916 t | $11.68 | $1.26B | 65,831 t |
| July 2026 | $5.93B | +8.0% | 487,478 t | $12.17 | $974.2M | 58,363 t |
| June 2026 | $6.36B | +6.0% | 515,760 t | $12.32 | $1.77B | 97,888 t |
| May 2026 | $5.48B | -7.7% | 440,498 t | $12.44 | $1.41B | 72,236 t |
| April 2026 | $5.84B | -7.3% | 479,667 t | $12.18 | $1.22B | 69,063 t |
| March 2026 | $6.08B | +1.1% | 489,628 t | $12.41 | $1.12B | 62,089 t |
| February 2026 | $4.50B | -23.0% | 364,522 t | $12.35 | $1.15B | 59,336 t |
| January 2026 | $5.74B | +18.9% | 461,115 t | $12.46 | $851.7M | 43,919 t |
| December 2025 | $5.59B | -4.2% | 463,093 t | $12.07 | $1.26B | 59,139 t |
| November 2025 | $6.04B | +10.9% | 484,415 t | $12.48 | $1.06B | 52,148 t |
| October 2025 | $5.25B | -12.6% | 430,086 t | $12.20 | $970.1M | 49,762 t |
| September 2025 | $6.04B | +14.0% | 491,066 t | $12.30 | $1.22B | 59,274 t |
| August 2025 | $5.21B | +6.9% | 425,786 t | $12.24 | $1.36B | 67,773 t |
| July 2025 | $5.49B | +6.3% | 475,326 t | $11.56 | $1.31B | 63,774 t |
| June 2025 | $6.00B | -0.4% | 479,493 t | $12.50 | $1.11B | 53,609 t |
| May 2025 | $5.94B | -5.6% | 489,160 t | $12.14 | $1.38B | 68,618 t |
| April 2025 | $6.30B | -4.2% | 507,796 t | $12.40 | $1.18B | 57,626 t |
| March 2025 | $6.01B | +2.0% | 490,028 t | $12.27 | $1.12B | 53,926 t |
| February 2025 | $5.85B | +18.7% | 477,663 t | $12.24 | $726.6M | 35,194 t |
| January 2025 | $4.83B | -19.3% | 397,634 t | $12.14 | $661.5M | 33,239 t |
| December 2024 | $5.83B | -5.9% | 486,845 t | $11.98 | $1.01B | 47,868 t |
| November 2024 | $5.45B | -14.1% | 426,086 t | $12.79 | $822.0M | 37,815 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.