Net trade in goods in South Korea
South Korea: Net trade in goods was 138.07 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
138.07 billion BoP, current US$
Change on year
up 24.5%
World rank
5th
of 200 countries
All-time high
138.07 billion BoP, current US$
in 2025
All-time low
-17.35 billion BoP, current US$
in 1996
Years of data
50
1976–2025
Net trade in goods in South Korea, 1976–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for net trade in goods in South Korea is 138.07 billion BoP, current US$, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
The figure is up 24.5% on the previous year and up 14.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net trade in goods in South Korea peaked at 138.07 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, -17.35 billion BoP, current US$, in 1996.
South Korea ranks 5th of 200 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net trade in goods in South Korea, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | -590.00 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1977 | -477.00 million BoP, current US$ | -19.2% |
| 1978 | -1.78 billion BoP, current US$ | +273.2% |
| 1979 | -4.39 billion BoP, current US$ | +146.9% |
| 1980 | -6.56 billion BoP, current US$ | +49.3% |
| 1981 | -6.20 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.5% |
| 1982 | -6.36 billion BoP, current US$ | +2.6% |
| 1983 | -4.38 billion BoP, current US$ | -31.1% |
| 1984 | -2.29 billion BoP, current US$ | -47.8% |
| 1985 | -2.25 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.4% |
| 1986 | 2.13 billion BoP, current US$ | -194.6% |
| 1987 | 5.98 billion BoP, current US$ | +180.4% |
| 1988 | 9.42 billion BoP, current US$ | +57.5% |
| 1989 | 2.41 billion BoP, current US$ | -74.4% |
| 1990 | -3.69 billion BoP, current US$ | -253.1% |
| 1991 | -7.15 billion BoP, current US$ | +93.9% |
| 1992 | -1.44 billion BoP, current US$ | -79.9% |
| 1993 | 2.68 billion BoP, current US$ | -286.2% |
| 1994 | -3.86 billion BoP, current US$ | -243.9% |
| 1995 | -7.00 billion BoP, current US$ | +81.4% |
| 1996 | -17.35 billion BoP, current US$ | +147.7% |
| 1997 | -6.75 billion BoP, current US$ | -61.1% |
| 1998 | 39.61 billion BoP, current US$ | -687.3% |
| 1999 | 25.45 billion BoP, current US$ | -35.8% |
| 2000 | 15.39 billion BoP, current US$ | -39.5% |
| 2001 | 9.41 billion BoP, current US$ | -38.9% |
| 2002 | 14.41 billion BoP, current US$ | +53.2% |
| 2003 | 22.14 billion BoP, current US$ | +53.6% |
| 2004 | 39.17 billion BoP, current US$ | +76.9% |
| 2005 | 32.49 billion BoP, current US$ | -17.1% |
| 2006 | 24.51 billion BoP, current US$ | -24.6% |
| 2007 | 32.44 billion BoP, current US$ | +32.3% |
| 2008 | 11.75 billion BoP, current US$ | -63.8% |
| 2009 | 48.06 billion BoP, current US$ | +309.1% |
| 2010 | 47.93 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 28.01 billion BoP, current US$ | -41.6% |
| 2012 | 48.59 billion BoP, current US$ | +73.4% |
| 2013 | 80.26 billion BoP, current US$ | +65.2% |
| 2014 | 86.14 billion BoP, current US$ | +7.3% |
| 2015 | 120.28 billion BoP, current US$ | +39.6% |
| 2016 | 116.46 billion BoP, current US$ | -3.2% |
| 2017 | 113.59 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 110.09 billion BoP, current US$ | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 79.81 billion BoP, current US$ | -27.5% |
| 2020 | 82.07 billion BoP, current US$ | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 79.66 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 18.33 billion BoP, current US$ | -77.0% |
| 2023 | 44.63 billion BoP, current US$ | +143.4% |
| 2024 | 110.91 billion BoP, current US$ | +148.5% |
| 2025 | 138.07 billion BoP, current US$ | +24.5% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 138.07 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is -743.67 million BoP, current US$. (72 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 138.07 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -98.47 million BoP, current US$. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net trade in goods in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +687.3% | -6.75 billion BoP, current US$ | 39.61 billion BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -1.81 billion BoP, current US$ | -4.39 billion BoP, current US$ | -477.00 million BoP, current US$ | 4 |
| 1980s | -811.36 million BoP, current US$ | -6.56 billion BoP, current US$ | 9.42 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.05 billion BoP, current US$ | -17.35 billion BoP, current US$ | 39.61 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.98 billion BoP, current US$ | 9.41 billion BoP, current US$ | 48.06 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 83.12 billion BoP, current US$ | 28.01 billion BoP, current US$ | 120.28 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 78.95 billion BoP, current US$ | 18.33 billion BoP, current US$ | 138.07 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 2 Germany 206.91 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 3 Ireland 190.99 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 4 Singapore 176.19 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 6 Russia 117.10 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 7 Switzerland 109.21 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 8 Netherlands 87.60 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for South Korea
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 41.23 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.022 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 797.74 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 15.80 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 22.87 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0084 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 305.78 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 4.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2332 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 8,447 includes gold, current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net trade in goods in South Korea?
- Net trade in goods in South Korea was 138.07 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net trade in goods recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 138.07 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest net trade in goods recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -17.35 billion BoP, current US$ in 1996.
- How does South Korea rank for net trade in goods?
- South Korea ranks 5th out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is net trade in goods rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Net trade in goods (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The balance of international trade in goods is the difference between the exports and imports of goods. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.