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2023
Flag → Flag
Exports $12.1BRnk 11 / 142
2023
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Top Product $3.34BRefined Petroleum
2023
Flag → Flag
Exports $12.2BRnk 9 / 221
2023
Flag → Flag
Top Product $2.94BPetroleum Gas
2023
Flag
Economic Complexity (ECI) ECI 1.85Rnk 4 / 132
2023
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Economic Complexity (ECI) ECI 1.04Rnk 27 / 132
2023
Flag  
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$400BCURRENT US$
Rnk 37 / 195
2013-2023
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GDP GROWTH23.6%CURRENT US$
Rnk 130 / 195
2023
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GDP PC $33,121CURRENT US$
Rnk 41 / 195
2013-2023
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GDP PC GROWTH21.9%CURRENT US$
Rnk 99 / 195
2023
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GDP PC$11,379CURRENT US$
Rnk 85 / 196
2013-2023
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GDP PC GROWTH6.21%CURRENT US$
Rnk 145 / 195

About

South Korea-Malaysia Trade: In 2023, South Korea exported $12.1B to Malaysia. The main products that South Korea exported to Malaysia were Refined Petroleum ($3.34B), Integrated Circuits ($2.38B), and Oxometallic or Peroxometallic Acid Salts ($445M). Over the past 5 years the exports of South Korea to Malaysia have increased at an annualized rate of 4.78%, from $9.55B in 2018 to $12.1B in 2023.

In 2005, South Korea exported services to Malaysia worth $506M, with Transportation ($279M), Travel ($119M), and Other business services ($64.1M) being the largest in terms of value.

Malaysia-South Korea Trade: In 2023, Malaysia exported $12.2B to South Korea. The main products that Malaysia exported to South Korea were Petroleum Gas ($2.94B), Integrated Circuits ($2.93B), and Refined Petroleum ($1.72B). Over the past 5 years the exports of Malaysia to South Korea have increased at an annualized rate of 3.89%,  from $10.1B in 2018 to $12.2B in 2023.

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

Comparison: In 2023,  South Korea ranked 4 in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI 1.85), and 5 in total exports ($645B). That same year, Malaysia ranked 27 in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI 1.04), and 19 in total exports ($383B).

Latest Trends

January, 2025

About

Overview In January 2025, South Korea exported $923M and imported $1.35B from Malaysia, resulting in a negative trade balance of $423M. Between January 2024 and January 2025 the exports of South Korea have increased by $152M (19.7%) from $771M to $923M, while imports decreased by $-22.2M (-1.62%) from $1.37B to $1.35B.

Trade In January 2025, the top exports of South Korea to Malaysia were Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products... ($179M), Electrical machinery and electronics ($174M), Machinery, mechanical appliances, & parts ($86.5M), Iron & steel ($40.4M), and Inorganic chemicals ($38.4M). In January 2025 the top imports of South Korea from Malaysia were Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products... ($603M), Electrical machinery and electronics ($276M), Machinery, mechanical appliances, & parts ($184M), Optical, photo, & film equipment; medical... ($55.6M), and Animal or vegetable fats, oils, &... ($43.7M).

Growth In January 2025, the increase in South Korea's year-by-year exports to Malaysia was explained primarily by an increase in product exports in Machinery, mechanical appliances, & parts ($30.1M or 53.2%), Cars, tractors, trucks & parts thereof. ($17.6M or 285%), and Optical, photo, & film equipment; medical... ($14.9M or 126%). In January 2025, the decrease in South Korea's year-by-year imports  from Malaysia was explained primarily by an decrease in product imports  in Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products... ($-119M or -16.5%), Electrical machinery and electronics ($-40.1M or -12.7%), and Fertilizers ($-11.6M or -96.7%).

Latest Trade

Time Scale
Flow
Value
Depth
EXPORT GROWTH (January 2024 - January 2025)$152M(19.7%)
IMPORT GROWTH (January 2024 - January 2025)$-22.2M(-1.62%)

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

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

For full datasets download visit Bulk Download page.

Explore Malaysia and South Korea Data

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Historical Data

Bilateral Trade by Products

Depth
Value

In 2023, South Korea exported $12.1B to Malaysia. The main products exported from South Korea to Malaysia were Refined Petroleum ($3.34B), Integrated Circuits ($2.38B), and Oxometallic or Peroxometallic Acid Salts ($445M). During the last 5 years the exports of South Korea to Malaysia have increased at an annualized rate of 4.78%, from $9.55B in 2018 to $12.1B in 2023.

In 2018, Malaysia exported $12.2B to South Korea. The main products exported from Malaysia to South Korea were Petroleum Gas ($2.94B), Integrated Circuits ($2.93B), and Refined Petroleum ($1.72B). During the last 5 years the exports of Malaysia to South Korea have increased at an annualized rate of 3.89%, from $10.1B in 2023 to $12.2B in 2018.

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

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

Market Competitiveness

Color
South Korea
Top DestinationChina$162B
Malaysia
Top DestinationChina$79.8B

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

In 2023, countries that imported more from South Korea than Malaysia included China ($162B), United States ($118B), and Chinese Taipei ($28.2B).

In 2023, countries that imported more from Malaysia than South Korea included Singapore ($47.3B), Vietnam ($11.4B), and Thailand ($13.4B).

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

Comparative Advantage South Korea - Malaysia

Flow
Scale

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

During 2023, South Korea had a large net trade with Malaysia in the exports of Machines ($4.65B), Mineral Products ($3.44B), and Metals ($1.3B).

During 2018, Malaysia had a large net trade with South Korea in the exports of Mineral Products ($4.81B), Machines ($4.24B), and Metals ($815M).

Potential Exports

Potential Exports

Depth
View
Sort By
Top Product Potential South Korea Malaysia+$571MIntegrated Circuits
Top Product Potential Malaysia South Korea+$555MIntegrated Circuits

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 South Korea and Malaysia. This means that a dot/product with the flag of South Korea indicates it has a comparative advantage over Malaysia. Similarly, a dot/product with the flag of Malaysia indicates it has a comparative advantage over South Korea.

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

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