globaltraffic.earth

Trade between Japan and South Korea

In 2024, Japan exported $46.8 billion to South Korea and imported $28.7 billion. Japan ran a surplus of $18 billion with South Korea, compared with a surplus of $18.6 billion in 2019. South Korea was Japan’s 3rd largest trading partner (5% of its trade), and Japan was South Korea’s 4th (5%).

Summary

Japan → South Korea
$46.8billion
South Korea → Japan
$28.7billion
Japan’s balance
$18billion

Balance

Japan’s trade balance with South Korea

Trade between Japan and South Korea grew 58% since 1995

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

  • Exports 46.8
  • Imports 28.7
  • Balance +18

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$30.8 billion$17 billion$13.8 billion
1996$30.7 billion$15.9 billion$14.8 billion
1997$27.3 billion$14.5 billion$12.7 billion
1998$16.4 billion$12.5 billion$3.9 billion
1999$23.8 billion$16.1 billion$7.7 billion
2000$31.2 billion$20.4 billion$10.8 billion
2001$26.2 billion$17 billion$9.2 billion
2002$29.4 billion$15.3 billion$14.1 billion
2003$35.5 billion$17.7 billion$17.8 billion
2004$44.5 billion$20.7 billion$23.8 billion
2005$47.5 billion$23.9 billion$23.7 billion
2006$51.3 billion$27.1 billion$24.2 billion
2007$57.6 billion$27.1 billion$30.5 billion
2008$61.7 billion$29.1 billion$32.6 billion
2009$49.9 billion$21.6 billion$28.2 billion
2010$63.5 billion$28.2 billion$35.3 billion
2011$67.5 billion$38.8 billion$28.7 billion
2012$63 billion$39.6 billion$23.4 billion
2013$58.9 billion$35 billion$23.9 billion
2014$53 billion$32.3 billion$20.7 billion
2015$45.6 billion$25.6 billion$20 billion
2016$46.5 billion$23.9 billion$22.5 billion
2017$55.3 billion$26.9 billion$28.4 billion
2018$53.9 billion$30.5 billion$23.4 billion
2019$46.4 billion$27.9 billion$18.6 billion
2020$45.2 billion$25.1 billion$20.1 billion
2021$53.8 billion$30.3 billion$23.5 billion
2022$53.4 billion$31.5 billion$21.9 billion
2023$46.7 billion$29.2 billion$17.5 billion
2024$46.8 billion$28.7 billion$18 billion

What they sell each other

What Japan sells to South Korea

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

  1. Microchips$5.9 billion · 12.6%
    4 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  2. Other industrial machines$4.7 billion · 10%
    33 thousand tonnes
  3. Hot-rolled flat steel$1.5 billion · 3.2%
    2.5 million tonnes
  4. Diodes, transistors and solar cells$1.5 billion · 3.2%
    459 tonnes
  5. Refined petroleum$1 billion · 2.2%
    1.7 million tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  6. Plastic sheets and film$1 billion · 2.1%
    53 thousand tonnes
  7. Electrical test instruments$837 million · 1.8%
    2 thousand tonnes
  8. Ferrous scrap$779 million · 1.7%
    1.8 million tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  9. Silicon wafers for electronics$757 million · 1.6%
    1 thousand tonnes
  10. Cars$705 million · 1.5%
    43 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations

What South Korea sells to Japan

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

  1. Refined petroleum$6 billion · 21%
    8.2 million tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  2. Microchips$1.4 billion · 4.7%
    6 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  3. Silver$945 million · 3.3%
    1 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  4. Hot-rolled flat steel$820 million · 2.9%
    1.3 million tonnes
  5. Coated flat steel$786 million · 2.7%
    936 thousand tonnes
  6. Other industrial machines$736 million · 2.6%
    12 thousand tonnes
  7. Makeup and skin care$722 million · 2.5%
    19 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  8. Other processed tobacco$628 million · 2.2%
    12 thousand tonnes
  9. Batteries$466 million · 1.6%
    87 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  10. Cold-rolled flat steel$403 million · 1.4%
    561 thousand tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Yokohama to Busan.

The estimated sea route between Yokohama and Busan is 709 nautical miles (1,312 km) long: ≈ 1.5–2 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$41.5 billion · 55%
  2. Air$34 billion · 45%

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

How much each matters to the other

South Korea was Japan’s 3rd largest trading partner (5% of its trade), and Japan was South Korea’s 4th (5%).

South Korea in Japan’s trade
5.1%
South Korea’s rank among Japan’s partners
3rd
Japan in South Korea’s trade
5.4%
Japan’s rank among South Korea’s partners
4th

Compare with

Other partners of Japan

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.