South Korea has become the world's second-largest cosmetics exporter, overtaking the United States and ranking only behind France, according to a report from the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The country's cosmetics trade surplus is projected to reach $10.1 billion in 2025, a 13.5% increase year-on-year and the first time exceeding the $10 billion threshold. Exports hit a record $11.4 billion, up 11.8% from 2024, while imports fell slightly by 2.3% to $1.29 billion. France leads with $24.3 billion in exports, followed by South Korea, with the US at $10.8 billion in third place. The cosmetics sector now accounts for approximately 12.9% of South Korea's total trade surplus of $78 billion last year, making it a key contributor to the nation's trade balance. Skincare remains the backbone of South Korea's cosmetics industry, generating $8.53 billion in export revenue, nearly 75% of total exports. Makeup products followed with $1.51 billion. Together, these two categories represent almost 88% of South Korea's total cosmetics exports.
For the first time, the United States surpassed China as South Korea's top cosmetics export market, with $2.2 billion in sales. Exports to China fell 19% to approximately $2 billion, while Japan ranked third with $1.1 billion. The number of countries importing South Korean cosmetics is expected to grow from 172 in 2024 to 202 in 2025. Rapidly growing markets include Poland (up 115%) and the United Arab Emirates (up 70.6%). Domestically, South Korea's cosmetics production is forecast to reach a record 17.94 trillion won in 2025, up 2.3% year-on-year.
To further expand its market, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced it will host the first Global Summit of Cosmetic Regulatory Authorities in September. The agency has also launched a program to support halal cosmetics certification, aiming to help Korean brands enter Muslim markets. In retail, LG H&H ranked first with 3.92 trillion won in revenue, followed by Amorepacific with 3.03 trillion won. In original design manufacturing, Cosmax leads with 1.61 trillion won, followed by Kolmar Korea with 1.30 trillion won.
Source: Read the original report | Published: May 23, 2026