China–South Korea Bilateral Trade 2026
Monthly exports, imports, and trade balance Source: China General Administration of Customs (GACC) Monthly · USD Data as of: August 2026 Coverage 2018-2026
3 unusual source values are omitted from charts while we verify the official customs record.
Leading commodity chapters across the available monthly history — darker cells show higher trade value. Hover any cell for detail.
Top Export Categories to South Korea
2026-08 · USD
| HS 85: Electrical machinery and equipment | $6.9B |
| HS 84: Machinery and mechanical appliances | $3.7B |
| HS 87: Vehicles | $800M |
| HS 28: Inorganic chemicals | $703M |
| HS 29: Organic chemicals | $477M |
| HS 39: Plastics | $449M |
| HS 72: Iron and steel | $412M |
| HS 73: Iron or steel articles | $333M |
Top Import Categories from South Korea
2026-08 · USD
| HS 85: Electrical machinery and equipment | $25.3B |
| HS 84: Machinery and mechanical appliances | $2.3B |
| HS 29: Organic chemicals | $882M |
| HS 39: Plastics | $654M |
| HS 27: Mineral fuels and oils | $360M |
| HS 90: Optical and precision instruments | $341M |
| HS 74: Copper | $290M |
| HS 71: Precious stones and metals | $195M |
Fast-Growing China Export Products to South Korea
HS6 product pages selected from official customs data where exports to South Korea increased quickly in 2026 year-to-date data.
Need the full file? Start with exact HS6/HS8 code orders, or choose a country-level package for all HS6/HS8 products from official China customs statistics.
Data notes
Monthly China–South Korea bilateral trade data covers exports, imports, and trade balance by HS commodity chapter, sourced from the China General Administration of Customs monthly statistical bulletin.
Source
Source: China General Administration of Customs (GACC)
Transformations: GACC values reported in USD thousands are converted to USD and formatted with K/M/B labels; the underlying monthly values are unchanged.
Citation
China South Korea bilateral trade data, monthly. General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC). https://chinadata.live/china-trade/south-korea/, accessed 2026-09-25.
Data notes
Monthly China–South Korea bilateral trade data covers exports, imports, and trade balance by HS commodity chapter, sourced from the China General Administration of Customs monthly statistical bulletin.
Source
Source: China General Administration of Customs (GACC)
Transformations: GACC values reported in USD thousands are converted to USD and formatted with K/M/B labels; the underlying monthly values are unchanged.
Citation
China South Korea bilateral trade data, monthly. General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC). https://chinadata.live/china-trade/south-korea/, accessed 2026-09-25.
What is China's Trade with South Korea in 2026?
In Aug 2026, China reported $18.0B in exports to South Korea and $32.2B in imports from South Korea. Bilateral goods trade totalled $50.2B for that month.
China South Korea Trade Balance & Trends
China recorded a $14.1B goods trade deficit with South Korea in Aug 2026. The balance is China’s exports minus China’s imports.
Historical China South Korea Trade Data (2018-2026)
Monthly bilateral trade data between China and South Korea covers HS commodity chapters and is sourced from China General Administration of Customs monthly statistical bulletins.
China South Korea Top Export & Import Categories
In Aug 2026, the leading published HS chapters for China’s exports to South Korea were Electrical machinery and equipment (HS 85, $6.9B); Machinery and mechanical appliances (HS 84, $3.7B); Vehicles (HS 87, $800M). In Aug 2026, the leading published HS chapters for China’s imports from South Korea were Electrical machinery and equipment (HS 85, $25.3B); Machinery and mechanical appliances (HS 84, $2.3B); Organic chemicals (HS 29, $882M).
China–South Korea Annual Trade and Year-to-Date Totals
USD · GACC goods trade reported by China. Exports go from China to South Korea; imports go from South Korea to China. Balance is China’s exports minus imports, not the partner’s independently reported balance.
| Period | China exports | China imports | China balance | Months included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 YTD (Jan–Aug) | $133.8B | $183.1B | -$49.2B | Exports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug Imports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug |
| 2025 (full year) | $144.5B | $187.2B | -$42.7B | Exports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec Imports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec |
| 2024 (full year) | $146.6B | $181.9B | -$35.3B | Exports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec Imports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec |
| 2023 (full year) | $151.0B | $162.5B | -$11.6B | Exports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec Imports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec |
| 2022 (full year) | $164.1B | $200.2B | -$36.1B | Exports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec Imports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec |
| 2021 (full year) | $150.6B | $213.6B | -$63.0B | Exports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec Imports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec |
| 2020 (full year) | $121.7B | $185.6B | -$63.9B | Exports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec Imports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec |
| 2019 (full year) | $111.0B | $173.6B | -$62.6B | Exports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec Imports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec |
| 2018 (full year) | $110.5B | $201.0B | -$90.5B | Exports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec Imports: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec |
Totals sum available monthly values; missing or excluded values are not zero. Full year requires all 12 months in both flows. YTD requires January through the displayed month in both flows. Other rows are partial coverage. A balance is shown only when both flows cover identical months. Totals are calculated before rounding.
Research-ready country trade data
How to use China-South Korea trade data
Use this country page to move from headline China-South Korea trade totals into HS chapter patterns, monthly export and import changes, and the exact scoped file needed for product-level research.
Questions this page helps answer
- • What does China export to South Korea by HS category?
- • What does China import from South Korea by month?
- • Which HS code, flow, year, and format should be requested for a deeper file?
Public coverage: 2018-2026. Latest public month: 2026-08. Request a scoped file when you need HS6, quantity, or country-month rows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is China's trade with South Korea in 2026?
In Aug 2026, China reported $18.0B in exports to South Korea and $32.2B in imports from South Korea. Bilateral goods trade totalled $50.2B for that month.
What does China export to South Korea?
In Aug 2026, the leading published HS chapters for China’s exports to South Korea were Electrical machinery and equipment (HS 85, $6.9B); Machinery and mechanical appliances (HS 84, $3.7B); Vehicles (HS 87, $800M).
What does China import from South Korea?
In Aug 2026, the leading published HS chapters for China’s imports from South Korea were Electrical machinery and equipment (HS 85, $25.3B); Machinery and mechanical appliances (HS 84, $2.3B); Organic chemicals (HS 29, $882M).
What is China’s trade balance with South Korea?
China recorded a $14.1B goods trade deficit with South Korea in Aug 2026. The balance is China’s exports minus China’s imports.
Where can I download China–South Korea trade data?
The public API exposes available monthly totals and HS chapter breakdowns. Full HS-level, quantity, selected-country, or CSV files can be requested as custom data.