According to data released on May 23 by South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the country's cosmetic exports reached a record $11.4 billion in 2025, up 11.8% year-on-year. For the first time, the United States became the largest buyer of South Korean cosmetics, with exports rising 15% to $2.2 billion. Meanwhile, exports to China fell 19% to $2 billion. Japan ranked third with $1.1 billion, followed by Hong Kong (China), Vietnam, Russia, and Taiwan (China). The number of export markets expanded from 172 countries in 2024 to 202 countries in 2025. Notably, exports to Poland surged 111.7% and to the United Arab Emirates by 67.2%, indicating rapidly growing demand for K-beauty products in Europe and the Middle East. Skincare products continued to dominate, generating $8.5 billion, or 74.7% of total cosmetic exports. Makeup products reached $1.5 billion, accounting for 13.2%. With this performance, South Korea surpassed the United States (which recorded $10.8 billion in cosmetic trade) to become the world's second-largest cosmetic exporter, behind France ($24.3 billion).
For the first time, South Korea's cosmetic industry trade surplus exceeded $10 billion, reaching $10.1 billion, while imports stood at only $1.29 billion. This is the highest level since the sector first recorded a trade surplus in 2012. The cosmetic industry now contributes approximately 12.9% to South Korea's total trade surplus of $78 billion in 2025. South Korea's domestic cosmetic production also hit a record high of 17.9 trillion won ($11.8 billion), up 2.3% year-on-year. LG H&H Group led production with 3.9 trillion won, followed by Amorepacific with 3 trillion won.
Source: Read the original report | Published: May 24, 2026