South Korea exports: December 2025
Monthly report, generated from Korea Customs Service statistics
In December 2025, South Korea exported $69.49 billion of goods, up 14.4% from November 2025 and up 13.3% from December 2024.
The three largest destinations were China ($12.95 billion, 18.6%), the United States ($12.33 billion, 17.7%), Vietnam ($6.28 billion, 9.0%).
Compared with December 2024, the largest increases in export value by destination were Vietnam (+$1.35 billion), Hong Kong (+$1.34 billion), China (+$1.18 billion).
The largest decreases by destination were Liberia (-$346.0 million), Poland (-$250.9 million), France (-$233.3 million).
Within the top 10 destinations, Malaysia moved from 14th to 9th, China moved from 2nd to 1st, the United States moved from 1st to 2nd compared with December 2024.
Top destinations
| Rank | Country | Exports | Share | vs November 2025 | vs December 2024 | Rank a year earlier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | $12.95B | 18.6% | +7.7% | +10.1% | 2 |
| 2 | United States | $12.33B | 17.7% | +19.2% | +3.7% | 1 |
| 3 | Vietnam | $6.28B | 9.0% | +16.3% | +27.4% | 3 |
| 4 | Taiwan | $5.13B | 7.4% | +24.7% | +18.3% | 4 |
| 5 | Hong Kong | $4.62B | 6.7% | +22.9% | +40.7% | 5 |
| 6 | Japan | $2.46B | 3.5% | +6.5% | -7.1% | 6 |
| 7 | Singapore | $2.07B | 3.0% | +61.9% | +18.4% | 7 |
| 8 | India | $1.72B | 2.5% | +16.4% | +2.1% | 8 |
| 9 | Malaysia | $1.41B | 2.0% | +10.2% | +75.2% | 14 |
| 10 | Australia | $1.40B | 2.0% | +39.7% | +21.4% | 9 |
| 11 | Philippines | $1.20B | 1.7% | +9.8% | +47.8% | 12 |
| 12 | Mexico | $1.05B | 1.5% | +15.7% | -7.2% | 10 |
| 13 | Netherlands | $1.05B | 1.5% | +28.1% | +101.6% | 20 |
| 14 | Marshall Islands | $1.01B | 1.5% | +54.6% | +2,141% | 68 |
| 15 | Canada | $939.9M | 1.4% | +7.4% | +8.5% | 11 |
Largest changes by destination
Change in export value compared with December 2024, ranked by dollar amount.
| Country | December 2025 | December 2024 | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vietnam | $6.28B | $4.93B | +$1.35B | +27.4% |
| Hong Kong | $4.62B | $3.29B | +$1.34B | +40.7% |
| China | $12.95B | $11.77B | +$1.18B | +10.1% |
| Marshall Islands | $1.01B | $45.0M | +$963.7M | +2,141% |
| Taiwan | $5.13B | $4.34B | +$795.5M | +18.3% |
| Country | December 2025 | December 2024 | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberia | $399.7M | $745.7M | -$346.0M | -46.4% |
| Poland | $552.5M | $803.4M | -$250.9M | -31.2% |
| France | $281.8M | $515.1M | -$233.3M | -45.3% |
| Japan | $2.46B | $2.64B | -$187.7M | -7.1% |
| Kazakhstan | $163.9M | $263.6M | -$99.7M | -37.8% |
Chapters
The 20 largest of 96 HS chapters by export value this month.
Compared with December 2024, the largest increases in export value by chapter were Electrical machinery and electronics (HS 85) (+$6.13 billion), Machinery, boilers and computers (HS 84) (+$1.16 billion), Pearls, precious stones and precious metals (HS 71) (+$406.4 million).
The largest decreases by chapter were Vehicles, parts and accessories (HS 87) (-$328.2 million), Iron and steel (HS 72) (-$206.0 million), Organic chemicals (HS 29) (-$162.3 million).
Imports in December 2025 were $57.35 billion (up 4.6% from December 2024), leaving a surplus of $12.14 billion for the month.
| Code | Product | Exports | Share | vs November 2025 | vs December 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85 | Electrical machinery and electronics | $25.99B | 37.4% | +16.9% | +30.8% |
| 84 | Machinery, boilers and computers | $8.93B | 12.8% | +16.1% | +14.9% |
| 87 | Vehicles, parts and accessories | $7.64B | 11.0% | -2.8% | -4.1% |
| 27 | Mineral fuels, oils and their products | $4.28B | 6.2% | +26.6% | +3.8% |
| 39 | Plastics and articles thereof | $2.85B | 4.1% | +14.5% | -1.3% |
| 89 | Ships and boats | $2.84B | 4.1% | +68.7% | -3.5% |
| 72 | Iron and steel | $1.86B | 2.7% | +11.6% | -10.0% |
| 90 | Optical, measuring and medical instruments | $1.69B | 2.4% | +23.4% | +13.8% |
| 29 | Organic chemicals | $1.67B | 2.4% | +16.1% | -8.9% |
| 33 | Essential oils, perfumery and cosmetics | $1.03B | 1.5% | +14.0% | +21.5% |
| 71 | Pearls, precious stones and precious metals | $814.0M | 1.2% | -22.0% | +99.7% |
| 30 | Pharmaceutical products | $803.9M | 1.2% | -6.5% | +31.4% |
| 28 | Inorganic chemicals | $786.4M | 1.1% | +15.0% | +0.2% |
| 73 | Articles of iron or steel | $718.3M | 1.0% | +6.8% | -12.8% |
| 74 | Copper and articles thereof | $697.4M | 1.0% | +10.1% | +23.3% |
| 38 | Miscellaneous chemical products | $667.5M | 1.0% | +2.6% | +13.2% |
| 40 | Rubber and articles thereof | $620.7M | 0.9% | +16.0% | -2.6% |
| 76 | Aluminium and articles thereof | $490.5M | 0.7% | +24.9% | +2.0% |
| 88 | Aircraft and spacecraft | $364.9M | 0.5% | +79.2% | +204.7% |
| 93 | Arms and ammunition | $283.0M | 0.4% | -17.8% | +0.2% |
Largest changes by 4-digit heading
Change in export value compared with December 2024, ranked by dollar amount.
| Heading | December 2025 | December 2024 | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic integrated circuits (semiconductor chips) | $16.73B | $11.67B | +$5.05B | +43.3% |
| Parts and accessories for computers and office machines | $3.56B | $2.41B | +$1.15B | +47.5% |
| Cargo ships, tankers and passenger ships | $2.83B | $2.04B | +$798.3M | +39.2% |
| Solid-state storage devices, discs and other recording media | $1.88B | $1.36B | +$523.9M | +38.6% |
| Telephones, smartphones and network equipment | $712.9M | $441.7M | +$271.2M | +61.4% |
| Refined petroleum oils | $4.11B | $3.89B | +$226.4M | +5.8% |
| Blood products, vaccines and immunological products | $663.1M | $463.8M | +$199.3M | +43.0% |
| Aeroplanes, helicopters and spacecraft | $195.7M | $3.7M | +$192.1M | +5,241% |
| Heading | December 2025 | December 2024 | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dredgers, floating cranes, drilling platforms and floating docks | $58K | $893.6M | -$893.6M | -100.0% |
| Passenger cars | $5.59B | $5.83B | -$245.8M | -4.2% |
| Tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles | $55.5M | $288.4M | -$233.0M | -80.8% |
| Machines and mechanical appliances with individual functions | $485.5M | $616.3M | -$130.7M | -21.2% |
| Lifts, escalators, conveyors and other handling machinery | $78.9M | $200.7M | -$121.8M | -60.7% |
| Rechargeable batteries (electric accumulators) | $714.7M | $821.4M | -$106.7M | -13.0% |
| Acyclic hydrocarbons | $242.3M | $338.2M | -$96.0M | -28.4% |
| Steel structures and parts (bridges, towers, frameworks) | $60.4M | $153.1M | -$92.7M | -60.6% |
Exports FOB, imports CIF, US dollars. Percentages are left blank when the earlier month was under $10,000. Figures are as downloaded on 2026-11-13; the source can revise them later. Source: Korea Customs Service, via data.go.kr.