globaltraffic.earth

Trade between South Korea and Turkey

In 2024, South Korea exported $9.2 billion to Turkey and imported $1.2 billion. South Korea ran a surplus of $8 billion with Turkey, compared with a surplus of $4.7 billion in 2019. Turkey was South Korea’s 26th largest trading partner (0.8% of its trade), and South Korea was Turkey’s 15th (2%).

Summary

South Korea → Turkey
$9.2billion
Turkey → South Korea
$1.2billion
South Korea’s balance
$8billion

Balance

South Korea’s trade balance with Turkey

Trade between South Korea and Turkey grew 14-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 9.2
  • Imports 1.2
  • Balance +8

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$622 million$120 million$501 million
1996$744 million$159 million$585 million
1997$1.1 billion$70 million$1 billion
1998$1.3 billion$41 million$1.2 billion
1999$900 million$149 million$751 million
2000$1.3 billion$145 million$1.1 billion
2001$819 million$138 million$682 million
2002$935 million$138 million$797 million
2003$1.5 billion$97 million$1.4 billion
2004$2.9 billion$118 million$2.8 billion
2005$3.7 billion$144 million$3.6 billion
2006$3.7 billion$212 million$3.5 billion
2007$4.3 billion$300 million$4 billion
2008$4.6 billion$449 million$4.1 billion
2009$3.2 billion$462 million$2.7 billion
2010$4.4 billion$560 million$3.8 billion
2011$5.7 billion$909 million$4.8 billion
2012$5.8 billion$947 million$4.8 billion
2013$6.2 billion$789 million$5.4 billion
2014$7.6 billion$690 million$6.9 billion
2015$7.6 billion$786 million$6.9 billion
2016$6.6 billion$724 million$5.9 billion
2017$6.8 billion$768 million$6 billion
2018$6.6 billion$1.1 billion$5.5 billion
2019$5.8 billion$1.2 billion$4.7 billion
2020$5.7 billion$1.3 billion$4.4 billion
2021$7.6 billion$1.2 billion$6.4 billion
2022$9 billion$1.3 billion$7.7 billion
2023$9.5 billion$1.3 billion$8.1 billion
2024$9.2 billion$1.2 billion$8 billion

What they sell each other

What South Korea sells to Turkey

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

  1. Polycarboxylic acids$952 million · 10.4%
    1.1 million tonnes
  2. Cars$684 million · 7.4%
    46 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  3. Polypropylene$360 million · 3.9%
    302 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  4. Hot-rolled flat steel$344 million · 3.7%
    487 thousand tonnes
  5. Vaccines, blood and antisera$338 million · 3.7%
    77 tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  6. Spark-ignition engines$311 million · 3.4%
    17 thousand tonnes
  7. Auto parts$309 million · 3.4%
    47 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s destinations
  8. Coated flat steel$277 million · 3%
    315 thousand tonnes
  9. Stainless steel sheet$261 million · 2.8%
    146 thousand tonnes
  10. Polystyrene$226 million · 2.5%
    128 thousand tonnes

What Turkey sells to South Korea

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

  1. Vaccines, blood and antisera$319 million · 26.3%
    57 tonnes · South Korea’s sources
  2. Refined petroleum$71 million · 5.9%
    77 thousand tonnes · Turkey’s destinations
  3. Engine parts$66 million · 5.4%
    874 tonnes
  4. Lead ore$49 million · 4.1%
    23 thousand tonnes
  5. Zinc ore$46 million · 3.8%
    38 thousand tonnes · South Korea’s sources
  6. Auto parts$38 million · 3.1%
    4 thousand tonnes · Turkey’s destinations
  7. Women's suits and dresses$26 million · 2.1%
    401 tonnes
  8. Liquid pumps$25 million · 2.1%
    914 tonnes
  9. Candy and sweets$24 million · 2%
    6 thousand tonnes
  10. Military weapons$21 million · 1.7%
    19 tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Busan to Istanbul.

The estimated sea route between Busan and Istanbul is 15,226 nautical miles (28,198 km) long: ≈ 35–45.5 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

Because of the 2024 disruptions, traffic is split: 85% via the Strait of Malacca and Singapore, the Cape of Good Hope, the Strait of Gibraltar and the Dardanelles (15,226 nautical miles); and 15% via the Strait of Malacca and Singapore, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the Suez Canal and the Dardanelles (8,446 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$8.5 billion · 81.3%
  2. Air$2 billion · 18.7%

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

How much each matters to the other

Turkey was South Korea’s 26th largest trading partner (0.8% of its trade), and South Korea was Turkey’s 15th (2%).

Turkey in South Korea’s trade
0.8%
Turkey’s rank among South Korea’s partners
26th
South Korea in Turkey’s trade
1.8%
South Korea’s rank among Turkey’s partners
15th

Compare with

Other partners of South Korea

Other partners of Turkey

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.