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Where does South Korea get its solar panels and cells? Import sources 2024

In 2024, South Korea imported $2.7 billion of solar panels and cells (163 thousand tonnes), 3.4% of the world total. Its main sources were Japan (47%), China (27%) and France (5%). South Korea was the world’s 7th-largest importer of solar panels and cells.

Summary

Value
$2.7billion
Tonnes
163thousand tonnes
Share of world total
3.4%
World rank
7th
Routes from the main sources. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Sources

The 20 main sources in the latest year.

PartnerValue (USD billions)TonnesUSD per tonneShareMode
Japan1.2Tonnes: 78USD per tonne: $16,031,91446.7%Air
China0.72Tonnes: 160,249USD per tonne: $4,49027%Sea
France0.14Tonnes: 1USD per tonne: $125,751,8585.3%Air
Vietnam0.14Tonnes: 208USD per tonne: $680,2025.3%Air
Taiwan0.14Tonnes: 43USD per tonne: $3,147,1495.1%Air
Malaysia0.09Tonnes: 74USD per tonne: $1,281,7923.5%Air
United States0.07Tonnes: 1,279USD per tonne: $55,4302.7%Air
Thailand0.05Tonnes: 99USD per tonne: $538,1642%Air
Germany0.02Tonnes: 25USD per tonne: $898,9300.84%Air
Singapore re-exports0.01Tonnes: 7USD per tonne: $2,040,6890.52%Air
Philippines0.01Tonnes: 36USD per tonne: $189,3640.26%Air
Hong Kong re-exports< 0.01Tonnes: 5USD per tonne: $801,2340.14%Air
Switzerland< 0.01Tonnes: 23USD per tonne: $161,8980.14%Air
Canada< 0.01Tonnes: 4USD per tonne: $692,8440.11%Air
United Kingdom< 0.01Tonnes: 1USD per tonne: $4,404,9840.08%Air
Israel< 0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $13,980,2900.06%Air
Italy< 0.01Tonnes: 533USD per tonne: $2,8960.06%Sea
Spain< 0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $5,419,3690.04%Air
Mexico< 0.01Tonnes: 11USD per tonne: $82,9660.04%Air
Bulgaria< 0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $9,326,6940.02%Air

Trend

Who it buys from

Japan has been its main source since 2020

Value in USD billions. The five largest sources in 2024.

  • Japan 1.2
  • China 0.72
  • France 0.14
  • Vietnam 0.14
  • Taiwan 0.14

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Partner19952024
Japan0.071.2
China0.010.72
France< 0.010.14
Vietnam00.14
Taiwan0.010.14

Sources and methodology

Other products of this country

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), which reconciles what exporters and importers report: countries that stopped reporting (Russia since 2022) appear with their partners’ data. FOB values in current US dollars; tonnes when BACI reports them. The price per tonne is the value of the rows with a weight divided by that weight. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.

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