globaltraffic.earth

Trade between Australia and South Korea

In 2024, Australia exported $29.4 billion to South Korea and imported $16.6 billion. Australia ran a surplus of $12.7 billion with South Korea, compared with a surplus of $11.1 billion in 2019. South Korea was Australia’s 4th largest trading partner (7% of its trade), and Australia was South Korea’s 6th (3%).

Summary

Australia → South Korea
$29.4billion
South Korea → Australia
$16.6billion
Australia’s balance
$12.7billion

Balance

Australia’s trade balance with South Korea

Trade between Australia and South Korea grew 6.9-fold since 1995

USD billions (current). Australia’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).

  • Exports 29.4
  • Imports 16.6
  • Balance +12.7

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$5 billion$1.7 billion$3.4 billion
1996$6.5 billion$1.9 billion$4.6 billion
1997$6 billion$2.3 billion$3.7 billion
1998$4.6 billion$2.8 billion$1.8 billion
1999$4.6 billion$2.6 billion$2 billion
2000$5.9 billion$2.9 billion$3 billion
2001$5.9 billion$2.5 billion$3.4 billion
2002$6.1 billion$2.7 billion$3.4 billion
2003$6 billion$3.8 billion$2.2 billion
2004$7.4 billion$3.8 billion$3.7 billion
2005$10 billion$4.1 billion$5.8 billion
2006$11.3 billion$5.7 billion$5.6 billion
2007$13.3 billion$5.2 billion$8.1 billion
2008$17.4 billion$5.7 billion$11.6 billion
2009$15 billion$5.8 billion$9.2 billion
2010$19.4 billion$7.2 billion$12.2 billion
2011$24.4 billion$7.4 billion$17 billion
2012$21.7 billion$9.9 billion$11.8 billion
2013$19.9 billion$9.5 billion$10.4 billion
2014$20.6 billion$10.5 billion$10.1 billion
2015$16.3 billion$11 billion$5.3 billion
2016$14.5 billion$8.1 billion$6.4 billion
2017$17.8 billion$19 billion-$1.2 billion
2018$19.9 billion$10.2 billion$9.7 billion
2019$19.7 billion$8.7 billion$11.1 billion
2020$18.6 billion$6.5 billion$12.1 billion
2021$31.5 billion$9.5 billion$22 billion
2022$42.6 billion$18.5 billion$24.1 billion
2023$31.4 billion$18.6 billion$12.8 billion
2024$29.4 billion$16.6 billion$12.7 billion

What they sell each other

What Australia sells to South Korea

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Natural gas and LPG$7.2 billion · 24.6%
    11.5 million tonnes
  2. Iron ore$5.4 billion · 18.5%
    49.5 million tonnes · Australia’s destinations
  3. Coal$5.1 billion · 17.3%
    33.7 million tonnes · Australia’s destinations
  4. Crude petroleum$2.1 billion · 7.2%
    3.1 million tonnes · Australia’s destinations
  5. Gold$1.3 billion · 4.3%
    17 tonnes · Australia’s destinations
  6. Unwrought aluminum$992 million · 3.4%
    388 thousand tonnes · Australia’s destinations
  7. Frozen beef$952 million · 3.2%
    174 thousand tonnes
  8. Slag and ash with metals$619 million · 2.1%
    78 thousand tonnes
  9. Copper ore$581 million · 2%
    118 thousand tonnes · Australia’s destinations
  10. Precious metal scrap$476 million · 1.6%
    590 tonnes

What South Korea sells to Australia

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Refined petroleum$9.4 billion · 56.4%
    13.8 million tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  2. Cars$3.4 billion · 20.2%
    249 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  3. Batteries$230 million · 1.4%
    66 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  4. Self-propelled trains and trams$165 million · 0.99%
    3 thousand tonnes
  5. Trucks$160 million · 0.96%
    15 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  6. Caustic soda and potash$134 million · 0.81%
    302 thousand tonnes
  7. Makeup and skin care$120 million · 0.72%
    4 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  8. Aluminum sheet$119 million · 0.71%
    34 thousand tonnes
  9. Coated flat steel$105 million · 0.63%
    103 thousand tonnes
  10. Cables and wire$80 million · 0.48%
    8 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Sydney to Busan.

The estimated sea route between Sydney and Busan is 4,736 nautical miles (8,771 km) long: ≈ 11–14 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

It does not cross any major canal or strait.

Sailing estimate without port calls, waiting or transshipment; not a schedule. One main reference port per country: in large countries it does not represent all of its ports.

Split by transport mode

  1. Sea$42.2 billion · 91.8%
  2. Air$3.8 billion · 8.2%

Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.

How much each matters to the other

South Korea was Australia’s 4th largest trading partner (7% of its trade), and Australia was South Korea’s 6th (3%).

South Korea in Australia’s trade
7.1%
South Korea’s rank among Australia’s partners
4th
Australia in South Korea’s trade
3.3%
Australia’s rank among South Korea’s partners
6th

Compare with

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. The sea route comes from our own network derived from World Bank shipping density (not from nautical charts), between one main reference port per country (World Port Index); days are the distance at 14 and 18 knots, without port calls or waiting. Data up to 2024.