Manufactures imports (% of merchandise imports) in South Korea
South Korea: Manufactures imports (% of merchandise imports) was 62.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Manufactures imports in South Korea, 1962–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for manufactures imports in South Korea is 62.1%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.3% on the previous year and up 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, manufactures imports in South Korea peaked at 66.7% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 43.1%, in 1980.
South Korea ranks 98th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Manufactures imports (% of merchandise imports) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 53.3% | — |
| 1963 | 50.6% | -5.1% |
| 1964 | 49.7% | -1.7% |
| 1965 | 51.6% | +3.7% |
| 1966 | 58.5% | +13.4% |
| 1967 | 61.4% | +5.0% |
| 1968 | 63.3% | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 57.3% | -9.4% |
| 1970 | 54.8% | -4.5% |
| 1971 | 54.2% | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 57.2% | +5.6% |
| 1973 | 55.6% | -2.8% |
| 1974 | 51.7% | -7.0% |
| 1975 | 50.7% | -2.0% |
| 1976 | 52.7% | +4.1% |
| 1977 | 52.4% | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 58.5% | +11.8% |
| 1979 | 55.2% | -5.8% |
| 1980 | 43.1% | -21.9% |
| 1981 | 43.3% | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 45.9% | +6.1% |
| 1983 | 50.9% | +10.9% |
| 1984 | 55.3% | +8.7% |
| 1985 | 57.2% | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 63.0% | +10.1% |
| 1987 | 63.8% | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 65.1% | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 64.5% | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 63.5% | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 65.0% | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 63.3% | -2.6% |
| 1993 | 62.8% | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 66.7% | +6.1% |
| 1995 | 66.7% | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 64.5% | -3.3% |
| 1997 | 61.1% | -5.3% |
| 1998 | 58.9% | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 62.7% | +6.3% |
| 2000 | 61.4% | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 60.1% | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 63.2% | +5.1% |
| 2003 | 63.1% | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 62.2% | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 60.7% | -2.4% |
| 2006 | 57.5% | -5.2% |
| 2007 | 57.9% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 53.4% | -7.8% |
| 2009 | 57.7% | +8.0% |
| 2010 | 56.5% | -2.1% |
| 2011 | 51.1% | -9.5% |
| 2012 | 49.6% | -2.9% |
| 2013 | 51.0% | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 52.5% | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 61.7% | +17.5% |
| 2016 | 65.1% | +5.4% |
| 2017 | 62.5% | -4.0% |
| 2018 | 58.6% | -6.2% |
| 2019 | 60.3% | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 66.1% | +9.6% |
| 2021 | 61.3% | -7.2% |
| 2022 | 55.9% | -8.9% |
| 2023 | 59.2% | +6.0% |
| 2024 | 60.1% | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 62.1% | +3.3% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 62.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 67.4%, 92% of the median. (71 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 62.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 60.0%, 1.0× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 55.7% | 49.7% | 63.3% | 8 |
| 1970s | 54.3% | 50.7% | 58.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 55.2% | 43.1% | 65.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 63.5% | 58.9% | 66.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.7% | 53.4% | 63.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 56.9% | 49.6% | 65.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.8% | 55.9% | 66.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 95 Democratic Republic of Congo 62.6% compare
- 96 Estonia 62.6% compare
- 97 South Africa 62.1% compare
- 99 Tajikistan 61.9% compare
- 100 Botswana 61.8% compare
- 101 Laos 61.7% compare
More private sector data for South Korea
- Merchandise trade 71.6% (2025)
- Food imports 6.5% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 631.89 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 183.44 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 1.7% (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 manufactures imports in South Korea?
- Manufactures imports in South Korea was 62.1% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest manufactures imports recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 66.7% in 1994.
- What is the lowest manufactures imports recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.1% in 1980.
- How does South Korea rank for manufactures imports?
- South Korea ranks 98th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is manufactures imports rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Manufactures imports (% of merchandise imports). 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
Manufactures comprise commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 5 (chemicals), 6 (basic manufactures), 7 (machinery and transport equipment), and 8 (miscellaneous manufactured goods), excluding division 68 (non-ferrous metals). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise imports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a non-resident and a 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.