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2023
Flag → Flag
Exports $147BRnk 5 / 208
2023
Flag → Flag
Top Product $17.8BIntegrated Circuits
2023
Flag → Flag
Exports $162BRnk 1 / 142
2023
Flag → Flag
Top Product $65.6BIntegrated Circuits
2023
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Economic Complexity (ECI) ECI 1.16Rnk 21 / 132
2023
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Economic Complexity (ECI) ECI 1.85Rnk 4 / 132
2023
Flag  
GDP$17.8TCURRENT US$
Rnk 2 / 195
2013-2023
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GDP GROWTH85.9%CURRENT US$
Rnk 22 / 195
2023
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 GDP$1.71TCURRENT US$
Rnk 14 / 195
2013-2023
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GDP GROWTH25%CURRENT US$
Rnk 127 / 195
2023
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GDP PC $12,614CURRENT US$
Rnk 80 / 195
2013-2023
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GDP PC GROWTH79.7%CURRENT US$
Rnk 17 / 195
2023
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GDP PC$33,121CURRENT US$
Rnk 41 / 196
2013-2023
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GDP PC GROWTH21.9%CURRENT US$
Rnk 99 / 195

About

China-South Korea Trade: In 2023, China exported $147B to South Korea. The main products that China exported to South Korea were Integrated Circuits ($17.8B), Electric Batteries ($7.97B), and Inorganic Salts ($5.74B). Over the past 5 years the exports of China to South Korea have increased at an annualized rate of 6.56%, from $107B in 2018 to $147B in 2023.

In 2023, China did not export any services to South Korea.

South Korea-China Trade: In 2023, South Korea exported $162B to China. The main products that South Korea exported to China were Integrated Circuits ($65.6B), Broadcasting Accessories ($6.89B), and Broadcasting Equipment ($5.68B). Over the past 5 years the exports of South Korea to China have decreased at an annualized rate of 1.84%,  from $177B in 2018 to $162B in 2023.

In 2005, South Korea exported services to China worth $5.46B, with Transportation ($4.09B), Travel ($783M), and Other business services ($274M) being the largest in terms of value.

Comparison: In 2023,  China ranked 21 in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI 1.16), and 1 in total exports ($3.42T). That same year, South Korea ranked 4 in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI 1.85), and 5 in total exports ($645B).

Latest Trends

December, 2024

About

Overview In December 2024, China exported $13.6B and imported $17.3B from South Korea, resulting in a negative trade balance of $3.72B. Between December 2023 and December 2024 the exports of China have increased by $523M (4%) from $13.1B to $13.6B, while imports increased by $2.85B (19.7%) from $14.5B to $17.3B.

Trade In December 2024, the top exports of China to South Korea were Integrated Circuits ($1.43B), Computers ($376M), Electric Batteries ($359M), Telephones ($298M), and Motor vehicles; parts and accessories (8701... ($234M). In December 2024 the top imports of China from South Korea were Integrated Circuits ($6.56B), Broadcasting Accessories ($552M), Cyclic Hydrocarbons ($548M), Machines and apparatus of a kind... ($420M), and Sound Recordings ($380M).

Origins In December 2024 the exports of China were mainly from Jiangsu Province ($3.46B), Shandong Province ($2.84B), Guangdong Province ($1.42B), Zhejiang Province ($1.25B), and Shanghai Province ($828M), while imports destinations were mainly Jiangsu Province ($4B), Guangdong Province ($3.99B), Shanghai Province ($1.82B), Shandong Province ($1.51B), and Sichuan Province ($887M).

Growth In December 2024, the increase in China's year-by-year exports to South Korea was explained primarily by an increase in product exports in Commodities not elsewhere specified ($117M or 148%), Sound Recordings ($84.7M or 109%), and Cars ($62.5M or 256%). In December 2024, the increase in China's year-by-year imports  from South Korea was explained primarily by an increase in product imports  in Integrated Circuits ($2.16B or 48.9%), Machines and apparatus of a kind... ($265M or 171%), and Cyclic Hydrocarbons ($105M or 23.8%).

Latest Trade

Time Scale
Flow
Value
Depth
EXPORT GROWTH (December 2023 - December 2024)$523M(4%)
IMPORT GROWTH (December 2023 - December 2024)$2.85B(19.7%)
MAIN EXPORTER (December 2024)Jiangsu Province$3.46B

This section shows exports and imports data at subnational level for China. Click any date in the line plot, any subnational region in the geomap or any product to explore the exports or imports behavior of China over time.

To check South Korea and China trade dynamics, check the bilateral page.

For full datasets download visit Bulk Download page.

Explore South Korea and China Data

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Historical Data

Bilateral Trade by Products

Depth
Value

In 2023, China exported $147B to South Korea. The main products exported from China to South Korea were Integrated Circuits ($17.8B), Electric Batteries ($7.97B), and Inorganic Salts ($5.74B). During the last 5 years the exports of China to South Korea have increased at an annualized rate of 6.56%, from $107B in 2018 to $147B in 2023.

In 2018, South Korea exported $162B to China. The main products exported from South Korea to China were Integrated Circuits ($65.6B), Broadcasting Accessories ($6.89B), and Broadcasting Equipment ($5.68B). During the last 5 years the exports of South Korea to China have decreased at an annualized rate of 1.84%, from $177B in 2023 to $162B in 2018.

Exports from China (Flag) to South Korea (Flag) (2023)

Exports from South Korea (Flag) to China (Flag) (2023)

Market Competitiveness

Color
China
Top DestinationUnited States$436B
South Korea
Top DestinationChina$162B

This map shows whether countries import more from China or South Korea. Each country is colored based on the difference in imports they receive from China and South Korea or the difference in the growth in imports.

In 2023, countries that imported more from China than South Korea included United States ($436B), Hong Kong ($259B), and Germany ($164B).

In 2023, no countries were registered that imported more from South Korea than from China.

Difference in imports from South Korea (Flag) and China (Flag) (2023)

Comparative Advantage China - South Korea

Flow
Scale

This chart compares trade between China and South Korea by product, considering products traded by both, China and South Korea.

During 2023, China had a large net trade with South Korea in the exports of Machines ($60.9B), Chemical Products ($21.9B), and Metals ($15.2B).

During 2018, South Korea had a large net trade with China in the exports of Machines ($103B), Chemical Products ($21.5B), and Plastics and Rubbers ($11B).

Potential Exports

Potential Exports

Depth
View
Sort By
Top Product Potential China South Korea+$2.16BTelephones
Top Product Potential South Korea China+$1.46BRefined Petroleum

We estimate the export potential of an economy for each product and destination using an extension of the bilateral relatedness model of Jun et al. (2019).This extended gravity model considers similarities among products and geographies and explains more than 50% of the variance in future trade flows.

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Economic Complexity

Competitive Landscape

This visualization shows the product space at the HS4 level with the flags of China and South Korea. This means that a dot/product with the flag of China indicates it has a comparative advantage over South Korea. Similarly, a dot/product with the flag of South Korea indicates it has a comparative advantage over China.

Product Space of China (Flag) and South Korea (Flag) (2023)

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