globaltraffic.earth

Trade between Canada and South Korea

In 2024, Canada exported $6.5 billion to South Korea and imported $11.7 billion. Canada ran a deficit of $5.2 billion with South Korea, compared with a deficit of $1.6 billion in 2019. South Korea was Canada’s 6th largest trading partner (2% of its trade), and Canada was South Korea’s 16th (1%).

Summary

Canada → South Korea
$6.5billion
South Korea → Canada
$11.7billion
Canada’s balance
-$5.2billion

Balance

Canada’s trade balance with South Korea

Trade between Canada and South Korea grew 3.6-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 6.5
  • Imports 11.7
  • Balance -5.2

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$2.5 billion$2.5 billion-$18 million
1996$2.7 billion$1.6 billion$1.1 billion
1997$2.5 billion$1.8 billion$654 million
1998$1.8 billion$2.3 billion-$449 million
1999$1.7 billion$2.2 billion-$475 million
2000$2 billion$3.6 billion-$1.6 billion
2001$1.8 billion$2.9 billion-$1.1 billion
2002$1.8 billion$3.2 billion-$1.4 billion
2003$1.8 billion$3.7 billion-$1.9 billion
2004$2.1 billion$4.6 billion-$2.6 billion
2005$2.5 billion$4.5 billion-$2 billion
2006$3 billion$5.2 billion-$2.2 billion
2007$3.1 billion$5 billion-$1.9 billion
2008$4.1 billion$5.8 billion-$1.7 billion
2009$3.3 billion$5.1 billion-$1.8 billion
2010$4.2 billion$5.9 billion-$1.6 billion
2011$6.4 billion$6.6 billion-$216 million
2012$4.9 billion$6.1 billion-$1.1 billion
2013$4.4 billion$6.5 billion-$2.1 billion
2014$5.2 billion$6.5 billion-$1.3 billion
2015$4 billion$6.4 billion-$2.4 billion
2016$3.7 billion$7.7 billion-$4 billion
2017$4.9 billion$6.3 billion-$1.4 billion
2018$5.5 billion$7.2 billion-$1.7 billion
2019$5.4 billion$7 billion-$1.6 billion
2020$4.2 billion$7.1 billion-$2.8 billion
2021$6.2 billion$8.1 billion-$1.9 billion
2022$7.9 billion$10 billion-$2.1 billion
2023$5.8 billion$10.1 billion-$4.2 billion
2024$6.5 billion$11.7 billion-$5.2 billion

What they sell each other

What Canada sells to South Korea

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

  1. Coal$1.9 billion · 29.4%
    9.9 million tonnes · Canada’s destinations
  2. Copper ore$654 million · 10.1%
    162 thousand tonnes · Canada’s destinations
  3. Iron ore$426 million · 6.6%
    4.1 million tonnes · Canada’s destinations
  4. Natural gas and LPG$365 million · 5.6%
    724 thousand tonnes
  5. Radioactive elements$284 million · 4.4%
    425 tonnes
  6. Pork$280 million · 4.3%
    74 thousand tonnes · Canada’s destinations
  7. Potash fertilizers$194 million · 3%
    509 thousand tonnes
  8. Semi-chemical wood pulp$107 million · 1.6%
    220 thousand tonnes
  9. 4 thousand tonnes
  10. Frozen beef$96 million · 1.5%
    13 thousand tonnes

What South Korea sells to Canada

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

  1. Cars$5.2 billion · 44.7%
    332 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  2. 661 tonnes
  3. Refined petroleum$307 million · 2.6%
    425 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  4. Auto parts$264 million · 2.3%
    20 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  5. Vaccines, blood and antisera$204 million · 1.8%
    99 tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  6. Silver$194 million · 1.7%
    194 tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  7. Coated flat steel$162 million · 1.4%
    149 thousand tonnes
  8. Makeup and skin care$161 million · 1.4%
    4 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  9. Bulldozers and excavators$153 million · 1.3%
    17 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  10. Microchips$146 million · 1.3%
    46 tonnes · South Korea’s destinations

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Vancouver to Busan.

The estimated sea route between Vancouver and Busan is 4,872 nautical miles (9,023 km) long: ≈ 11.5–14.5 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$15.3 billion · 84%
  2. Air$2.9 billion · 16%

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

How much each matters to the other

South Korea was Canada’s 6th largest trading partner (2% of its trade), and Canada was South Korea’s 16th (1%).

South Korea in Canada’s trade
1.7%
South Korea’s rank among Canada’s partners
6th
Canada in South Korea’s trade
1.3%
Canada’s rank among South Korea’s partners
16th

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.