According to current statistics from the Korea Importers Association (KOIMA), South Korean imports rose by 8.2% year-on-year to USD 56.4 billion in September 20 KOIMA), South Korean imports rose by 8.2% year-on-year to USD 56.4 billion in September 2025, while imports of energy raw materials fell by 8.8% due to lower oil prices – oil fell by 13.3% and coal by 7.2%. The main driver of growth was non-energy imports, which rose by 12.5% to USD 47 billion. The most significant growth was seen in imports of semiconductor equipment (USD 2.3 billion, +14.4%) and steel products (USD 1.7 billion, +4.8%), while imports of petroleum products (-9.6%) declined. These changes confirm that Korea is gradually moving away from its dependence on energy commodities and focusing more on industrial goods and investment equipment. The volume of imports reached 47.33 million tons in September, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.2% and a continuation of the recovery after declines in the first half of the year. Exports also performed well, rising by 2.2% year-on-year in September. Ten of the fifteen main export items recorded increases, with exports of agricultural and fishery products and cosmetics reaching record levels. Exports of textiles and household appliances returned to growth for the first time this year thanks to a higher number of working days. Semiconductor exports exceeded USD 16 billion for the first time thanks to strong demand for memory chips and rising prices, while car exports reached a September high for both combustion and eco-friendly vehicles. Despite weaker exports to the US due to tariff pressures, exports to China, ASEAN countries, and the EU grew. In response to the uncertainty surrounding US tariff negotiations, the government announced that it would accelerate the diversification of export markets and strengthen support for export companies to minimize any negative impacts. 

A large delegation of twelve South Korean companies led by KOIMA arrived in the Czech Republic as part of an economic diplomacy project. The project, funded by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, took place in early October in Prague and Brno. It was in Brno, as part of the International Engineering Fair, that CzechTrade organized a sourcing day, during which several dozen B2B meetings between Czech and Korean companies took place. A memorandum of understanding was also signed between KOIMA and Veletrhy Brno, and the delegation visited the South Moravian Innovation Center as part of their excursions. Last but not least, the delegation was received by Minister of Industry and Trade Lukáš Vlček. "In addition to nuclear energy, we are also strengthening our strategic partnership with Korea in the area of foreign trade. Thanks to this, trade turnover has a chance to reach six billion dollars this year, with a significant increase in exports on the Czech side. I was pleased to meet with the Korean delegation to discuss the continuation and deepening of our cooperation, and I would also like to thank them for their participation in the International Engineering Fair in Brno and their interest in establishing partnerships with Czech industry," he said.

Further important information on this sector of the Korean market can be found at the links below: 

1. Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources: https://english.motir.go.kr/  
2. Korea Importers Association: https://eng.koima.or.kr/koima_net/index.do 
3. Korea Customs Service: https://www.customs.go.kr/english/main.do  

Interested Czech companies can contact the Commercial Department of the Czech Embassy in Seoul at: seoul.commerce@mzv.gov.cz .

Jakub Kopecký, head of the commercial department of the Czech Embassy