USA-Rep. of Korea Bilateral Trade Analysis 2023

Complete trade statistics: $179.24B total volume โ€ขUSA deficit: $56.58B

USA โ†’ Rep. of Korea

$61.33B

Exports (2023)

Rep. of Korea โ†’ USA

$117.91B

Imports (2023)

Trade Balance

$56.58B

Deficit for USA

Total Trade

$179.24B

Combined Volume

Trade Flow Visualization

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

Detailed Product Trade Analysis

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

USA โ†’ Rep. of Korea Exports

$61.33B
2023 Total

Export Market Intelligence

Product Diversity:
Highly Diversified
Market Share:
19.7% top product
1Oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude
$12.06B
19.7% of exports
2Machines and apparatus of a kind used solely or principally for the manufacture of semiconductor devices or of electronic integrated circuits
$2.94B
4.8% of exports
3Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas
$1.96B
3.2% of exports
4Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, propane
$1.88B
3.1% of exports
5Electronic integrated circuits: processors and controllers, whether or not combined with memories, converters, logic circuits, amplifiers, clock and timing circuits, or other circuits
$1.77B
2.9% of exports
6Machines and apparatus of heading 8486: parts and accessories
$1.47B
2.4% of exports
7Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1500 but not over 3000cc
$1.11B
1.8% of exports
8Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale
$1.00B
1.6% of exports
9Meat: of bovine animals, boneless cuts, fresh or chilled
$901.74M
1.5% of exports
10Meat: of bovine animals, boneless cuts, frozen
$643.90M
1.0% of exports

๐ŸŽฏ Strategic Export Focus

USA's export portfolio to Rep. of Korea demonstrates strong diversification across multiple sectors, with oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude representing a key competitive advantage in this bilateral market.

Rep. of Korea โ†’ USA Imports

$117.91B
2023 Total

Import Dependency Profile

Supply Diversity:
Well Diversified
Critical Imports:
8.0% concentration
1Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1500 but not over 3000cc
$9.42B
8.0% of imports
2Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 3000cc
$6.39B
5.4% of imports
3Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1000 but not over 1500cc
$6.12B
5.2% of imports
4Petroleum 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
$4.63B
3.9% of imports
5Vehicles: with only electric motor for propulsion
$4.50B
3.8% of imports
6Machinery: parts and accessories (other than covers, carrying cases and the like) of the machines of heading no. 8471
$3.87B
3.3% of imports
7Vehicles: with both spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine and electric motor for propulsion, incapable of being charged by plugging to external source of electric power
$3.82B
3.2% of imports
8Chemical products, mixtures and preparations: n.e.c. heading 3824
$2.92B
2.5% of imports
9Electric accumulators: parts n.e.c. in heading no. 8507
$2.34B
2.0% of imports
10Semiconductor media: solid-state non-volatile storage devices, whether or not recorded, excluding products of Chapter 37
$2.13B
1.8% of imports

๐Ÿ“ฆ Import Strategy Analysis

USA's import pattern from Rep. of Korea reveals strategic sourcingin vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1500 but not over 3000cc, highlighting complementary economic structures and potential supply chain optimization opportunities.

Competitive Trade Position Analysis

๐Ÿ†

Market Leadership

USA demonstrates competitive strength in exportingoils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude to Rep. of Korea, leveraging comparative advantages.

Export Leader in 20+ Categories
๐Ÿ”„

Trade Complementarity

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

Specialized Exchange
๐Ÿ“ˆ

Growth Potential

The $179.24B trade volume indicates substantial economic integration with room for expansion in emerging sectors.

Major Partnership

Executive Summary: USA-Rep. of Korea Trade Relationship

Key Trade Highlights 2023

  • Total Trade Volume: $179.24 billionrepresenting a significant bilateral economic relationship
  • Trade Balance: USA maintains a deficit of $56.58 billion
  • Export Focus: USA's primary exports include oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude, machines and apparatus of a kind used solely or principally for the manufacture of semiconductor devices or of electronic integrated circuits, petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas
  • Import Dependencies: Key imports from Rep. of Korea include vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1500 but not over 3000cc, vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 3000cc, vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1000 but not over 1500cc

Strategic Trade Indicators

Trade IntensityHigh
Export DiversificationDiversified
Trade Balance HealthImbalanced

๐Ÿ“ˆ 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 $179.24B 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 USA leveraging its comparative advantages in oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude.

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

USA's specialization in oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crudecomplements Rep. of Korea's demand patterns, creating natural trade synergies.

2

Supply Chain Integration

Deep integration in global value chains has strengthened bilateral linkages, particularly in vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1500 but not over 3000cc.

3

Market Access & Trade Policy

Favorable trade agreements and market access conditions have facilitated the growth of this $179.24B bilateral relationship.

Trade Pattern Insights

Trade ComplementarityAsymmetric
Seasonal VariationsModerate
Product ConcentrationLow
Market DependencyHigh
๐Ÿ”ฎ

Trade Relationship Outlook

The $179.24B 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

๐Ÿ’ฐ

Trade Volume Impact

The $179.24 billion bilateral trade volume represents a major economic driverfor both economies.

Economic Significance: Critical
๐Ÿญ

Industrial Integration

Trade flows in oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude and vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1500 but not over 3000cc demonstrate deep industrial linkages and supply chain integration.

Supply Chain Integration: Diversified
โš–๏ธ

Trade Balance Effects

USA's trade deficit of $56.58 billion impacts its overall economic position in this bilateral relationship.

Balance Impact: Import Dependency

Strategic Future Outlook

๐Ÿš€Growth Opportunities

Emerging Sectors
Technology transfer and innovation cooperation in machines and apparatus of a kind used solely or principally for the manufacture of semiconductor devices or of electronic integrated circuits present expansion opportunities.
Market Diversification
Beyond current focus on vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1500 but not over 3000cc, new product categories offer potential for trade expansion.

โš ๏ธRisk Factors

Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
Moderate concentration in key sectors requires monitoring
Market Competition
Global competition in oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude may affect future market positioning.

๐ŸŽฏStrategic 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 USA and Rep. of Korea represents a total trade volume of $179.24 billion in 2023. This partnership demonstrates an unfavorable trade balance for USA, with imports exceeding exportsby $56.58 billion.

Export Strengths

USA's exports to Rep. of Korea total $61.33 billion, with competitive advantages in oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude, representing $12.06B or19.7% of bilateral exports.

Import Dependencies

Imports from Rep. of Korea amount to $117.91 billion, highlighting economic interdependence in vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1500 but not over 3000cc, with Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1500 but not over 3000cc comprising8.0% of total imports.

The trade relationship reflects broader economic patterns and comparative advantages. The trade deficit indicates USA's strategic sourcing from Rep. of Korea. 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 USA and Rep. of Korea in multiple formats.

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