Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in South Korea
South Korea: Food exports (% of merchandise exports) was 1.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Food exports in South Korea, 1962–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
In 2025, food exports in South Korea stood at 1.7%.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 35.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food exports in South Korea peaked at 39.2% in 1962 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 2007.
That places South Korea 178th out of 196 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 39.2% | — |
| 1963 | 19.5% | -50.3% |
| 1964 | 22.4% | +15.3% |
| 1965 | 16.7% | -25.8% |
| 1966 | 19.1% | +14.4% |
| 1967 | 14.1% | -26.1% |
| 1968 | 11.7% | -17.0% |
| 1969 | 10.6% | -9.6% |
| 1970 | 9.6% | -8.9% |
| 1971 | 8.0% | -16.5% |
| 1972 | 7.5% | -6.7% |
| 1973 | 8.4% | +11.5% |
| 1974 | 7.8% | -6.5% |
| 1975 | 13.2% | +69.1% |
| 1976 | 7.6% | -42.2% |
| 1977 | 10.6% | +38.6% |
| 1978 | 8.4% | -20.6% |
| 1979 | 8.2% | -2.5% |
| 1980 | 7.4% | -9.9% |
| 1981 | 6.9% | -7.1% |
| 1982 | 5.6% | -18.9% |
| 1983 | 5.0% | -10.5% |
| 1984 | 4.4% | -12.5% |
| 1985 | 4.1% | -5.8% |
| 1986 | 4.8% | +17.0% |
| 1987 | 4.6% | -4.2% |
| 1988 | 4.2% | -9.9% |
| 1989 | 3.7% | -10.0% |
| 1990 | 3.3% | -10.9% |
| 1991 | 3.2% | -4.8% |
| 1992 | 2.9% | -9.2% |
| 1993 | 2.6% | -9.6% |
| 1994 | 2.5% | -3.7% |
| 1995 | 2.3% | -9.8% |
| 1996 | 2.3% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 2.1% | -6.3% |
| 1998 | 2.0% | -6.6% |
| 1999 | 2.0% | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 1.5% | -22.1% |
| 2001 | 1.7% | +8.1% |
| 2002 | 1.5% | -7.5% |
| 2003 | 1.4% | -11.0% |
| 2004 | 1.2% | -14.2% |
| 2005 | 1.1% | -9.3% |
| 2006 | 0.9% | -13.3% |
| 2007 | 0.9% | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 0.9% | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 1.1% | +22.7% |
| 2010 | 1.1% | -5.4% |
| 2011 | 1.1% | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 1.2% | +5.2% |
| 2013 | 1.1% | -5.1% |
| 2014 | 1.2% | +3.9% |
| 2015 | 1.2% | +6.2% |
| 2016 | 1.4% | +14.8% |
| 2017 | 1.3% | -7.1% |
| 2018 | 1.3% | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 1.5% | +16.0% |
| 2020 | 1.6% | +11.6% |
| 2021 | 1.5% | -9.5% |
| 2022 | 1.5% | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 1.6% | +11.8% |
| 2024 | 1.6% | -1.1% |
| 2025 | 1.7% | +1.5% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 1.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 11.3%, 15% of the median. (71 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 1.7% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 13.7%, 12% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +69.1% | 7.8% | 13.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 19.1% | 10.6% | 39.2% | 8 |
| 1970s | 8.9% | 7.5% | 13.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.1% | 3.7% | 7.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.5% | 2.0% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.2% | 0.9% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More private sector data for South Korea
- Merchandise trade 71.6% (2025)
- Food imports 6.5% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 62.1% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 631.89 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 183.44 billion current US$ (2025)
- Manufactures exports 88.0% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 709.33 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 149.31 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 13,724 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3788 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food exports in South Korea?
- Food exports in South Korea was 1.7% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food exports recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 39.2% in 1962.
- What is the lowest food exports recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 2007.
- How does South Korea rank for food exports?
- South Korea ranks 178th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is food exports rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 35.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Food exports (% of merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Food comprises the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 0 (food and live animals), 1 (beverages and tobacco), and 4 (animal and vegetable oils and fats) and division 22 (oil seeds, oil nuts, and oil kernels). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise exports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.