Rep. of Korea

Rep. of Korea

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Rep. of Korea-China Bilateral Trade Analysis 2023

Complete trade statistics: $308.71B total volume •Rep. of Korea surplus: $14.54B

Rep. of Korea → China

$161.63B

Exports (2023)

China → Rep. of Korea

$147.09B

Imports (2023)

Trade Balance

$14.54B

Surplus for Rep. of Korea

Total Trade

$308.71B

Combined Volume

Trade Flow Visualization

Direct trade relationship between Rep. of Korea and China. Green line shows exports from Rep. of Korea, red line shows imports.

Detailed Product Trade Analysis

Comprehensive breakdown of trade flows by product category, revealing the specialized nature of the Rep. of Korea-China commercial relationship and competitive positioning in global markets.

Rep. of Korea → China Exports

$161.63B
2023 Total

Export Market Intelligence

Product Diversity:
Highly Diversified
Market Share:
21.3% top product
1Electronic integrated circuits: memories
$34.45B
21.3% of exports
2Electronic integrated circuits: processors and controllers, whether or not combined with memories, converters, logic circuits, amplifiers, clock and timing circuits, or other circuits
$18.49B
11.4% of exports
3Electronic integrated circuits: n.e.c. in heading no. 8542
$9.08B
5.6% of exports
4Reception and transmission apparatus: for use with the apparatus of heading no. 8525 to 8528, excluding aerials and aerial reflectors
$6.88B
4.3% of exports
5Salts: of inorganic acids or peroxoacids, other than double or complex silicates, including aluminosilicates, whether or not chemically, excluding azides
$4.45B
2.8% of exports
6Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks
$4.10B
2.5% of exports
7Cyclic hydrocarbons: p-xylene
$4.05B
2.5% of exports
8Electronic integrated circuits: amplifiers
$3.51B
2.2% of exports
9Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude: preparations n.e.c. containing by weight 70% or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous minerals: these being the basic constituents of the preparations: waste oils
$3.33B
2.1% of exports
10Machinery: parts and accessories (other than covers, carrying cases and the like) of the machines of heading no. 8471
$2.94B
1.8% of exports

🎯 Strategic Export Focus

Rep. of Korea's export portfolio to China demonstrates strong diversification across multiple sectors, with electronic integrated circuits: memories representing a key competitive advantage in this bilateral market.

China → Rep. of Korea Imports

$147.09B
2023 Total

Import Dependency Profile

Supply Diversity:
Well Diversified
Critical Imports:
10.3% concentration
1Electronic integrated circuits: memories
$15.22B
10.3% of imports
2Electric accumulators: lithium-ion, including separators, whether or not rectangular (including square)
$7.85B
5.3% of imports
3Lithium oxide and hydroxide
$4.46B
3.0% of imports
4Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks
$3.77B
2.6% of imports
5Phosphides, chemically defined or not, not ferrophosphorus: other inorganic compounds n.e.c. (including distilled, conductivity water and water of like purity): liquid air, rare gases removed or not: compressed air: amalgams, not precious metal amalgams
$2.69B
1.8% of imports
6Salts: of inorganic acids or peroxoacids, other than double or complex silicates, including aluminosilicates, whether or not chemically, excluding azides
$2.45B
1.7% of imports
7Granite: articles thereof, (other than simply cut or sawn, with a flat or even surface)
$1.93B
1.3% of imports
8Automatic data processing machines: portable, weighing not more than 10kg, consisting of at least a central processing unit, a keyboard and a display
$1.62B
1.1% of imports
9Electronic integrated circuits: processors and controllers, whether or not combined with memories, converters, logic circuits, amplifiers, clock and timing circuits, or other circuits
$1.46B
1.0% of imports
10Tricycles, scooters, pedal cars and similar wheeled toys: dolls' carriages: dolls: other toys: reduced-size (scale) models and similar recreational models, working or not: puzzles of all kinds
$1.43B
1.0% of imports

📦 Import Strategy Analysis

Rep. of Korea's import pattern from China reveals strategic sourcingin electronic integrated circuits: memories, highlighting complementary economic structures and potential supply chain optimization opportunities.

Competitive Trade Position Analysis

🏆

Market Leadership

Rep. of Korea demonstrates competitive strength in exportingelectronic integrated circuits: memories to China, leveraging comparative advantages.

Export Leader in 20+ Categories
🔄

Trade Complementarity

The bilateral relationship showsstrongcomplementarity, with each country specializing in different sectors.

Highly Balanced
📈

Growth Potential

The $308.71B trade volume indicates substantial economic integration with room for expansion in emerging sectors.

Major Partnership

Executive Summary: Rep. of Korea-China Trade Relationship

Key Trade Highlights 2023

  • Total Trade Volume: $308.71 billionrepresenting a significant bilateral economic relationship
  • Trade Balance: Rep. of Korea maintains a surplus of $14.54 billion
  • Export Focus: Rep. of Korea's primary exports include electronic integrated circuits: memories, electronic integrated circuits: processors and controllers, whether or not combined with memories, converters, logic circuits, amplifiers, clock and timing circuits, or other circuits, electronic integrated circuits: n.e.c. in heading no. 8542
  • Import Dependencies: Key imports from China include electronic integrated circuits: memories, electric accumulators: lithium-ion, including separators, whether or not rectangular (including square), lithium oxide and hydroxide

Strategic Trade Indicators

Trade IntensityHigh
Export DiversificationDiversified
Trade Balance HealthBalanced

📈 Market Position: This bilateral trade relationship represents one of the world's largest trade partnerships, with complementary economic strengths driving sustained commercial exchange.

Historical Trade Analysis & Economic Context

Trade Evolution Timeline

2019-2023: Recent Trends

Current trade volume of $308.71B represents the culmination of evolving bilateral commercial relationships, influenced by global supply chain shifts and changing economic priorities.

2015-2019: Growth Period

Sustained expansion in bilateral trade driven by complementary economic structures, with Rep. of Korea leveraging its comparative advantages in electronic integrated circuits: memories.

2010-2015: Foundation Building

Establishment of modern trade frameworks and reduction of barriers, facilitating increased commercial exchange and investment flows between the two economies.

Pre-2010: Early Development

Initial stages of bilateral trade relationship development, with focus on traditional export-import patterns and gradual market integration.

Key Economic Drivers

1

Comparative Advantage

Rep. of Korea's specialization in electronic integrated circuits: memoriescomplements China's demand patterns, creating natural trade synergies.

2

Supply Chain Integration

Deep integration in global value chains has strengthened bilateral linkages, particularly in electronic integrated circuits: memories.

3

Market Access & Trade Policy

Favorable trade agreements and market access conditions have facilitated the growth of this $308.71B bilateral relationship.

Trade Pattern Insights

Trade ComplementarityAsymmetric
Seasonal VariationsModerate
Product ConcentrationLow
Market DependencyModerate
🔮

Trade Relationship Outlook

The $308.71B bilateral trade volume positions this relationship for continued growth, supported by technological advancement, evolving consumer preferences, and strengthening economic ties. Key opportunities lie in expanding cooperation in emerging sectors while managing potential supply chain vulnerabilities.

Economic Impact & Strategic Outlook

Economic Impact Assessment

💰

Trade Volume Impact

The $308.71 billion bilateral trade volume represents a major economic driverfor both economies.

Economic Significance: Critical
🏭

Industrial Integration

Trade flows in electronic integrated circuits: memories and electronic integrated circuits: memories demonstrate deep industrial linkages and supply chain integration.

Supply Chain Integration: Diversified
⚖️

Trade Balance Effects

Rep. of Korea's trade surplus of $14.54 billion strengthens its overall economic position in this bilateral relationship.

Balance Impact: Well Balanced

Strategic Future Outlook

🚀Growth Opportunities

Emerging Sectors
Technology transfer and innovation cooperation in electronic integrated circuits: processors and controllers, whether or not combined with memories, converters, logic circuits, amplifiers, clock and timing circuits, or other circuits present expansion opportunities.
Market Diversification
Beyond current focus on electronic integrated circuits: memories, new product categories offer potential for trade expansion.

⚠️Risk Factors

Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
Moderate concentration in key sectors requires monitoring
Market Competition
Global competition in electronic integrated circuits: memories may affect future market positioning.

🎯Strategic Recommendations

  • Strengthen cooperation in high-value sectors beyond current trade patterns
  • Develop alternative supply chains to reduce dependency risks
  • Explore joint ventures in emerging technology sectors
  • Enhance trade facilitation and reduce transaction costs

Market Position & Competitive Summary

The bilateral trade relationship between Rep. of Korea and China represents a total trade volume of $308.71 billion in 2023. This partnership demonstrates a favorable trade balance for Rep. of Korea, with exports exceeding importsby $14.54 billion.

Export Strengths

Rep. of Korea's exports to China total $161.63 billion, with competitive advantages in electronic integrated circuits: memories, representing $34.45B or21.3% of bilateral exports.

Import Dependencies

Imports from China amount to $147.09 billion, highlighting economic interdependence in electronic integrated circuits: memories, with Electronic integrated circuits: memories comprising10.3% of total imports.

The trade relationship reflects broader economic patterns and comparative advantages. The trade surplus indicates Rep. of Korea's competitive position in this bilateral relationship. This partnership is characterized by complementary trade flows, with each country specializing in different product categories based on their respective economic strengths, industrial capabilities, and position in global value chains.

Download Bilateral Trade Data

Access detailed trade data between Rep. of Korea and China in multiple formats.

Data Source: CEPII BACI (Base pour l'Analyse du Commerce International) • Last Updated: January 2025 • Coverage: 1995-2023