globaltraffic.earth

Trade between Italy and South Korea

In 2024, Italy exported $7.4 billion to South Korea and imported $5.4 billion. Italy ran a surplus of $2 billion with South Korea, compared with a surplus of $2.2 billion in 2019. South Korea was Italy’s 19th largest trading partner (1% of its trade), and Italy was South Korea’s 22nd (0.9%).

Summary

Italy → South Korea
$7.4billion
South Korea → Italy
$5.4billion
Italy’s balance
$2billion

Balance

Italy’s trade balance with South Korea

Trade between Italy and South Korea grew 3.7-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 7.4
  • Imports 5.4
  • Balance +2

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$2.4 billion$1.1 billion$1.4 billion
1996$3 billion$1 billion$2 billion
1997$2.3 billion$1.3 billion$1 billion
1998$1 billion$1.8 billion-$773 million
1999$1.3 billion$1.9 billion-$588 million
2000$1.7 billion$2.1 billion-$385 million
2001$1.8 billion$2.4 billion-$635 million
2002$2.2 billion$2.3 billion-$93 million
2003$2.4 billion$3.1 billion-$699 million
2004$2.5 billion$4 billion-$1.5 billion
2005$2.8 billion$5 billion-$2.2 billion
2006$2.9 billion$4.5 billion-$1.6 billion
2007$3.6 billion$4.4 billion-$782 million
2008$4 billion$4.4 billion-$378 million
2009$3.4 billion$3 billion$376 million
2010$3.7 billion$4 billion-$259 million
2011$4.4 billion$4.5 billion-$184 million
2012$4.8 billion$3.6 billion$1.2 billion
2013$5.4 billion$3.2 billion$2.2 billion
2014$6.3 billion$3.3 billion$2.9 billion
2015$5.7 billion$3.5 billion$2.1 billion
2016$5.1 billion$3.3 billion$1.9 billion
2017$5.5 billion$3.9 billion$1.6 billion
2018$6 billion$4.8 billion$1.2 billion
2019$6.3 billion$4.1 billion$2.2 billion
2020$6.3 billion$3.6 billion$2.7 billion
2021$7.6 billion$4.9 billion$2.7 billion
2022$8.1 billion$6.3 billion$1.7 billion
2023$8.1 billion$6.2 billion$1.8 billion
2024$7.4 billion$5.4 billion$2 billion

What they sell each other

What Italy sells to South Korea

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

  1. Bags, suitcases and cases$1.1 billion · 15.4%
    1 thousand tonnes
  2. Jewelry$334 million · 4.5%
    17 tonnes · Italy’s destinations
  3. Leather footwear$270 million · 3.6%
    788 tonnes
  4. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$265 million · 3.6%
    10 thousand tonnes · Italy’s destinations
  5. Cars$264 million · 3.6%
    3 thousand tonnes · Italy’s destinations
  6. Sweaters and pullovers$190 million · 2.6%
    284 tonnes
  7. Ceramic tiles$139 million · 1.9%
    124 thousand tonnes
  8. Refined petroleum$125 million · 1.7%
    143 thousand tonnes · Italy’s destinations
  9. Women's coats and jackets$121 million · 1.6%
    149 tonnes
  10. Women's suits and dresses$110 million · 1.5%
    169 tonnes

What South Korea sells to Italy

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

  1. Vaccines, blood and antisera$971 million · 18%
    79 tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  2. Cars$578 million · 10.7%
    42 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  3. Hot-rolled flat steel$329 million · 6.1%
    553 thousand tonnes
  4. Stainless steel sheet$222 million · 4.1%
    108 thousand tonnes
  5. Cargo and cruise ships$199 million · 3.7%
    125 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  6. Coated flat steel$142 million · 2.6%
    150 thousand tonnes
  7. Polypropylene$135 million · 2.5%
    114 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  8. New tires$115 million · 2.1%
    21 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  9. Polyethers, polyesters and epoxy resins$106 million · 2%
    58 thousand tonnes
  10. Batteries$105 million · 1.9%
    7 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Genoa to Busan.

The estimated sea route between Genoa and Busan is 14,291 nautical miles (26,467 km) long: ≈ 33–42.5 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

Because of the 2024 disruptions, traffic is split: 85% via the Strait of Gibraltar, the Cape of Good Hope and the Strait of Malacca and Singapore (14,291 nautical miles); and 15% via the Suez Canal, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Malacca and Singapore (9,133 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$6.3 billion · 49.3%
  2. Air$6.5 billion · 50.7%

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

How much each matters to the other

South Korea was Italy’s 19th largest trading partner (1% of its trade), and Italy was South Korea’s 22nd (0.9%).

South Korea in Italy’s trade
1.1%
South Korea’s rank among Italy’s partners
19th
Italy in South Korea’s trade
0.9%
Italy’s rank among South Korea’s partners
22nd

Compare with

Other partners of Italy

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.