Medical, surgical and dental instruments: South Korea exports and imports
HS 9018 · 내과용ㆍ외과용ㆍ치과용ㆍ수의과용 기기[신티그래픽(scintigraphic)식 진단기기ㆍ그 밖의 전기식 의료기기와 시력 검사기기를 포함한다] · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $270.9 million of medical, surgical and dental instruments (HS 9018), up 2.6% from September 2026 and up 29.0% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of medical, surgical and dental instruments (HS 9018) totalled $3.08 billion, up 11.7% from the 12 months before ($2.75 billion).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was the United States ($660.8 million, 21.5% of the total), followed by Japan and China.
That was 17.4% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 90 (optical, measuring and medical instruments) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $295.3 million (up 12.4% from October 2025), leaving a deficit of $24.4 million for the month.
Official description of HS 9018: Instruments and appliances used in medical, surgical, dental or veterinary sciences, including scintigraphic apparatus, other electro-medical apparatus and sight-testing instruments.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 9018
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9018.11 | Electro-cardiographs | $33.4M | 1.1% | +32.1% | $1.8M |
| 9018.11.1000 | Electro-cardiographs | $12.9M | 38.6% | +11.9% | $707K |
| 9018.11.9000 | Parts and accessories | $20.5M | 61.4% | +49.0% | $1.1M |
| 9018.12 | Ultrasonic scanning apparatus | $973.3M | 31.6% | +10.4% | $83.5M |
| 9018.12.1000 | Ultrasonic scanning apparatus | $603.3M | 62.0% | +9.8% | $56.1M |
| 9018.12.9000 | Parts and accessories | $370.0M | 38.0% | +11.4% | $27.4M |
| 9018.13 | Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus | $14.2M | 0.5% | +5.6% | $934K |
| 9018.13.1000 | Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus | $1.5M | 10.3% | +83.6% | $20K |
| 9018.13.9000 | Parts and accessories | $12.7M | 89.7% | +0.7% | $914K |
| 9018.14 | Scintigraphic apparatus | $372K | 0.0% | -4.7% | $2,524 |
| 9018.19 | Other | $148.5M | 4.8% | +15.3% | $12.1M |
| 9018.19.1000 | Electro-encephalographs | $162K | 0.1% | -73.2% | $14K |
| 9018.19.2000 | Audiometers and similar apparatus | $634K | 0.4% | +626.0% | $8,227 |
| 9018.19.4000 | Electro-tonographs | $2.9M | 2.0% | +27.4% | $307K |
| 9018.19.7000 | Patient monitoring system | $21.3M | 14.3% | +35.9% | $1.2M |
| 9018.19.8000 | Other | $94.0M | 63.3% | +16.0% | $7.6M |
| 9018.19.9000 | Parts and accessories | $29.5M | 19.9% | +1.3% | $3.0M |
| 9018.20 | Ultra-violet or infra-red ray apparatus | $2.9M | 0.1% | -1.9% | $276K |
| 9018.20.1000 | Ultra-violet or infra-red ray apparatus | $2.0M | 68.0% | -17.4% | $276K |
| 9018.20.9000 | Parts and accessories | $927K | 32.0% | +63.0% | $75 |
| 9018.31 | Syringes, with or without needles | $68.5M | 2.2% | +56.4% | $8.3M |
| 9018.32 | Tubular metal needles and needles for sutures | $123.8M | 4.0% | +8.6% | $9.5M |
| 9018.32.1000 | Needles for injections | $87.4M | 70.6% | +5.2% | $6.9M |
| 9018.32.2000 | Needles for sutures | $3.9M | 3.2% | +18.8% | $359K |
| 9018.32.9000 | Other | $32.5M | 26.3% | +17.5% | $2.3M |
| 9018.39 | Other | $74.9M | 2.4% | -0.2% | $4.9M |
| 9018.39.1000 | Blood transfusion set or intravenous set | $13.9M | 18.5% | +7.4% | $619K |
| 9018.39.2000 | Catheters | $13.6M | 18.1% | +9.6% | $1.4M |
| 9018.39.8000 | Other | $23.2M | 31.0% | -17.0% | $1.5M |
| 9018.39.9000 | Parts and accessories | $24.3M | 32.4% | +11.3% | $1.3M |
| 9018.41 | Dental drill engines, whether or not combined on a single base with other dental equipment | $13.7M | 0.4% | +2.2% | $1.0M |
| 9018.41.1000 | Dental drill engines | $12.1M | 88.4% | +2.6% | $911K |
| 9018.41.9000 | Parts and accessories | $1.6M | 11.6% | -0.3% | $109K |
| 9018.49 | Other | $229.0M | 7.4% | -8.0% | $19.0M |
| 9018.49.1000 | Dental burs | $1.7M | 0.7% | +1.0% | $67K |
| 9018.49.2000 | Dental units | $5.4M | 2.4% | -33.2% | $289K |
| 9018.49.3000 | Scalers for treating tartar | $416K | 0.2% | -24.6% | $25K |
| 9018.49.8000 | Other | $184.6M | 80.6% | -10.4% | $16.2M |
| 9018.49.9000 | Parts and accessories | $36.8M | 16.1% | +13.9% | $2.4M |
| 9018.50 | Other ophthalmic instruments and appliances | $73.4M | 2.4% | -7.3% | $7.5M |
| 9018.50.1010 | Laser operated instrument | $31.7M | 43.2% | -2.2% | $3.7M |
| 9018.50.1090 | Other | $33.1M | 45.1% | -13.8% | $2.8M |
| 9018.50.9000 | Parts and accessories | $8.6M | 11.7% | +2.5% | $921K |
| 9018.90 | Other instruments and appliances | $1.32B | 42.9% | +17.3% | $122.2M |
| 9018.90.1000 | Pregnancy diagnostic apparatus | $225K | 0.0% | +77.0% | $18K |
| 9018.90.2010 | Laser operated instrument | $19.5M | 1.5% | +7.9% | $2.1M |
| 9018.90.2090 | Other | $65.6M | 5.0% | +8.8% | $6.6M |
| 9018.90.3000 | Gynaecological or obstetrical instruments | $6.3M | 0.5% | +68.8% | $261K |
| 9018.90.4000 | Endoscopes (gastroscopes, peritoneoscopes, cystoscopes and the like) | $27.3M | 2.1% | +19.7% | $1.6M |
| 9018.90.5000 | Artificial kidney apparatus, including dialyzers for artificial kidney apparatus | $722K | 0.1% | +44.0% | $0 |
| 9018.90.6000 | Electrical nerve stimulation (T.E.N.S) | $5.9M | 0.4% | -17.8% | $444K |
| 9018.90.7000 | Veterinary instrument and appliances | $4.9M | 0.4% | +2.9% | $459K |
| 9018.90.8110 | Laser operated instrument | $221.8M | 16.8% | +6.5% | $17.1M |
| 9018.90.8190 | Other | $247.8M | 18.8% | +47.9% | $25.9M |
| 9018.90.8900 | Other | $322.6M | 24.5% | +2.6% | $30.6M |
| 9018.90.9000 | Parts and accessories | $396.9M | 30.1% | +24.9% | $37.2M |
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. 189 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 | $660.8M | 21.5% | +10.2% | 1 | $54.7M |
| 2 | Japan | $224.7M | 7.3% | +7.7% | 2 | $22.8M |
| 3 | China | $176.6M | 5.7% | +4.7% | 3 | $14.3M |
| 4 | India | $159.2M | 5.2% | +18.4% | 4 | $15.5M |
| 5 | Brazil | $121.3M | 3.9% | +19.1% | 6 | $9.1M |
| 6 | Thailand | $100.5M | 3.3% | +24.1% | 8 | $13.2M |
| 7 | Russia | $98.8M | 3.2% | -5.6% | 5 | $8.2M |
| 8 | Germany | $91.9M | 3.0% | +17.2% | 9 | $8.6M |
| 9 | Vietnam | $87.7M | 2.9% | +32.7% | 11 | $6.7M |
| 10 | Taiwan | $71.6M | 2.3% | -1.4% | 10 | $6.3M |
| 11 | United Arab Emirates | $68.8M | 2.2% | -22.5% | 7 | $8.1M |
| 12 | Austria | $64.7M | 2.1% | +10.5% | 13 | $5.4M |
| 13 | Poland | $62.6M | 2.0% | +21.1% | 15 | $6.1M |
| 14 | Hong Kong | $58.6M | 1.9% | +77.7% | 23 | $3.2M |
| 15 | France | $56.2M | 1.8% | -6.3% | 12 | $5.7M |
| 16 | Netherlands | $55.0M | 1.8% | +3.9% | 14 | $6.4M |
| 17 | Australia | $46.8M | 1.5% | +27.7% | 21 | $3.3M |
| 18 | Singapore | $45.9M | 1.5% | +2.9% | 17 | $3.7M |
| 19 | Türkiye | $44.2M | 1.4% | +48.7% | 25 | $4.4M |
| 20 | United Kingdom | $43.6M | 1.4% | +9.6% | 19 | $2.1M |
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 | $270.9M | +29.0% | 2,631 t | $102.99 | $295.3M | 3,564 t |
| September 2026 | $264.2M | -11.1% | 2,199 t | $120.13 | $308.9M | 3,416 t |
| August 2026 | $241.4M | +30.4% | 2,164 t | $111.52 | $301.2M | 3,304 t |
| July 2026 | $270.0M | +14.1% | 2,446 t | $110.41 | $280.7M | 3,734 t |
| June 2026 | $287.6M | +12.7% | 2,313 t | $124.32 | $311.7M | 3,677 t |
| May 2026 | $230.8M | +10.5% | 1,902 t | $121.38 | $263.2M | 3,578 t |
| April 2026 | $246.8M | +1.4% | 2,196 t | $112.40 | $287.8M | 3,556 t |
| March 2026 | $282.5M | +21.1% | 2,221 t | $127.17 | $306.1M | 3,235 t |
| February 2026 | $207.7M | -7.4% | 1,973 t | $105.29 | $267.1M | 2,900 t |
| January 2026 | $223.8M | +27.0% | 2,174 t | $102.94 | $260.0M | 3,379 t |
| December 2025 | $297.0M | +20.5% | 2,812 t | $105.59 | $302.7M | 3,828 t |
| November 2025 | $252.9M | +7.3% | 2,544 t | $99.43 | $258.1M | 3,307 t |
| October 2025 | $209.9M | -3.4% | 1,971 t | $106.49 | $262.8M | 3,154 t |
| September 2025 | $297.2M | +45.1% | 2,648 t | $112.20 | $296.1M | 3,477 t |
| August 2025 | $185.1M | -8.0% | 1,856 t | $99.72 | $272.4M | 3,277 t |
| July 2025 | $236.7M | +14.1% | 2,330 t | $101.62 | $296.4M | 3,370 t |
| June 2025 | $255.1M | +16.3% | 2,129 t | $119.79 | $279.6M | 3,072 t |
| May 2025 | $208.9M | -4.4% | 1,878 t | $111.20 | $229.8M | 2,917 t |
| April 2025 | $243.4M | +15.6% | 2,157 t | $112.83 | $253.3M | 3,530 t |
| March 2025 | $233.2M | +8.2% | 1,875 t | $124.41 | $252.0M | 3,228 t |
| February 2025 | $224.4M | +12.6% | 1,994 t | $112.53 | $232.1M | 3,090 t |
| January 2025 | $176.2M | -19.3% | 1,731 t | $101.79 | $194.7M | 3,028 t |
| December 2024 | $246.5M | +16.9% | 2,299 t | $107.24 | $248.9M | 3,113 t |
| November 2024 | $235.7M | +0.7% | 2,232 t | $105.59 | $230.5M | 3,033 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.