globaltraffic.earth

Trade between Germany and South Korea

In 2024, Germany exported $21.7 billion to South Korea and imported $13.3 billion. Germany ran a surplus of $8.4 billion with South Korea, compared with a surplus of $7.2 billion in 2019. South Korea was Germany’s 22nd largest trading partner (1% of its trade), and Germany was South Korea’s 10th (3%).

Summary

Germany → South Korea
$21.7billion
South Korea → Germany
$13.3billion
Germany’s balance
$8.4billion

Balance

Germany’s trade balance with South Korea

Trade between Germany and South Korea grew 2.9-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 21.7
  • Imports 13.3
  • Balance +8.4

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$6.3 billion$5.7 billion$615 million
1996$6.9 billion$4.7 billion$2.1 billion
1997$5.6 billion$4.1 billion$1.5 billion
1998$3.2 billion$3.9 billion-$731 million
1999$3.8 billion$4.4 billion-$609 million
2000$4.6 billion$5.5 billion-$835 million
2001$4.5 billion$4.5 billion$25 million
2002$5.6 billion$5 billion$612 million
2003$6.6 billion$6.3 billion$251 million
2004$8 billion$9.5 billion-$1.5 billion
2005$9 billion$12.5 billion-$3.5 billion
2006$10.5 billion$14.4 billion-$4 billion
2007$12.5 billion$12.6 billion-$94 million
2008$14 billion$13.8 billion$195 million
2009$11.8 billion$11 billion$773 million
2010$13.7 billion$14.8 billion-$1.1 billion
2011$16.2 billion$13.4 billion$2.8 billion
2012$17.2 billion$10.4 billion$6.8 billion
2013$19.2 billion$9.5 billion$9.8 billion
2014$21.3 billion$10.7 billion$10.6 billion
2015$20.3 billion$8 billion$12.3 billion
2016$19.4 billion$8.1 billion$11.3 billion
2017$19.6 billion$10.6 billion$9.1 billion
2018$20.4 billion$13.1 billion$7.3 billion
2019$19.7 billion$12.5 billion$7.2 billion
2020$20.4 billion$11.6 billion$8.9 billion
2021$22 billion$13.8 billion$8.3 billion
2022$22.5 billion$13.3 billion$9.2 billion
2023$23.2 billion$14.3 billion$8.9 billion
2024$21.7 billion$13.3 billion$8.4 billion

What they sell each other

What Germany sells to South Korea

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

  1. Cars$5.4 billion · 24.8%
    236 thousand tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  2. Other industrial machines$933 million · 4.3%
    5 thousand tonnes
  3. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$866 million · 4%
    9 thousand tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  4. Microchips$717 million · 3.3%
    3 thousand tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  5. Auto parts$630 million · 2.9%
    23 thousand tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  6. Vaccines, blood and antisera$423 million · 2%
    173 tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  7. Other measuring instruments$339 million · 1.6%
    1 thousand tonnes
  8. Transformers and power supplies$313 million · 1.4%
    2 thousand tonnes
  9. Airplanes and helicopters$296 million · 1.4%
    190 tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  10. Centrifuges and filters$283 million · 1.3%
    7 thousand tonnes

What South Korea sells to Germany

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

  1. Cars$1.6 billion · 11.8%
    87 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  2. Cargo and cruise ships$1.4 billion · 10.3%
    452 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  3. Microchips$1.2 billion · 9.3%
    435 tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  4. Vaccines, blood and antisera$898 million · 6.8%
    45 tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  5. Batteries$836 million · 6.3%
    34 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  6. Computer and office machine parts$813 million · 6.1%
    1 thousand tonnes
  7. Cameras and broadcast equipment$535 million · 4%
    421 tonnes
  8. Auto parts$471 million · 3.5%
    73 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  9. New tires$459 million · 3.5%
    79 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  10. Discs and storage media$206 million · 1.6%
    934 tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Hamburg to Busan.

The estimated sea route between Hamburg and Busan is 14,794 nautical miles (27,398 km) long: ≈ 34–44 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

Because of the 2024 disruptions, traffic is split: 85% via the Strait of Dover, the Cape of Good Hope and the Strait of Malacca and Singapore (14,794 nautical miles); and 15% via the Strait of Dover, the Strait of Gibraltar, the Suez Canal, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Malacca and Singapore (11,275 nautical miles).

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$18.3 billion · 52.3%
  2. Air$16.7 billion · 47.7%

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

How much each matters to the other

South Korea was Germany’s 22nd largest trading partner (1% of its trade), and Germany was South Korea’s 10th (3%).

South Korea in Germany’s trade
1.2%
South Korea’s rank among Germany’s partners
22nd
Germany in South Korea’s trade
2.5%
Germany’s rank among South Korea’s partners
10th

Compare with

Other partners of Germany

Other partners of South Korea

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.