Dynamic Korean Market

Dynamic Korean Market

World's 10th largest domestic market : huge consumer base with strong purchasing power and sophisticated taste makes Korea an ideal test market for new technologies and products.
Over half of the Global Fortune 500 firms have already established their business presence in Korea.

Korea's competitive industries

South Korea's core business

Semiconductors 1st

Shipbuilding 1st

Display 1st

Mobile phones 2nd

Automobiles 5th

Petrochemicals 5th

Steel 6th

General machinery 9th

2020 Global Fortune 500 (Korean companies)

※ Source : Fortune Magazine

Samsung Electronics(19th), Hyundai Motor(84th), SK Holdings(97th),POSCO(194th), LG Electronics(207th), Korea Electric Power(227th),KIA Motor(229th), Hanwha(277th), Hyundai Mobis(385th),KB Financial Group(426th), CJ(437th), GS Caltex(447th),Samsung Life Insurance(467th), Samsung C&T(481st),

Trade Figures of Korea(2015.11.)

Trade Volume of Korea

Trade Volume posted triple growth over the last 10 years.
6th place in World Export.

Import US$4,014billion, Export US$4,846billion, Total US$8,860billion

Trade Volume with Major Economies

Total Trade Volume (Unit : US$ billions-2015.10). Japan 603billion, China 1,897 billion, EU(2013) 1,192 billion, USA 955 billion

Korean Economic Statics Index(2014)

※ Source : Bank of Korea

Population : 51,847,509 (as of January 2020, source: MOIS)
Size : 100,210㎢
per Capita GNI(Global 24th) : US$33,433
GDP(Grobal 14th) : US$1,307.8billions
Economic Growth Rate(over the previous, Q1, '14) : 3.9%
No. of Registered Cars : 19. million
Economically Active Population : 27.9 million
Gross Domestic Investment Ratio : 31.2%
Direct Overseas Investment : US$38,917million
Foreign Direct Investment(2019) : US$23,328million
Foreign Exchange Holdings(2018) : US$403,694million

Economic indicators


Classification		2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
GDP (USD Bn.)		1,383	1,415	1,531	1,619	1,642
Per capita GDP (USD)		27,097	27,607	29,744	31,370	31,431
Economic growth rate (%)		2.8	2.9	3.1	2.7	2.0
Consumer price index (%)		0.7	1.0	1.9	1.5	0.5
Employment rate (%)		65.9	66.1	66.6	66.6	67.1
trade volume (USD Mil.)		963,256	901,619	1,052,172	1,140,062	1,045,576
Exports (USD Mil.)	Amount	526,757	495,426	573,694	604,860	542,233
Exports (USD Mil.)	Growth rate(%)	-8.0	-5.9	15.8	5.4	-10.4
Imports (USD Mil.)	Amount	436,499	406,193	478,478	535,202	503,343
Imports (USD Mil.)	Growth rate(%)	-16.9	-6.9	17.8	11.9	-6.0
trade balance (USD Mil.)		90,258	89,233	95,216	69,657	38,890
FDI (USD Mil.)		20,910	21,299	22,943	26,901	23,329
Foreign exchange reserves (USD Mil.)		367,962	371,102	389,267	403,694	407,460
Foreign exchange (WON/USD)		1,172.5	1,207.7	1,070.5	1,115.7	1,156.4
Bank of Korea base rate(%)		1.5	1.3	1.5	1.8	1.3

* Source: IMF, Bank of Korea, Statistics Korea, KITA, MOTIE

* Note: GDP valued at current price. FDI is based on amounts declared. Yearly foreign exchange is based on selling rates. Foreign exchange is based on closing rates.