In the first quarter of this year, during which President Donald Trump declared a tariff policy, the export amounts of large and medium-sized enterprises in our country decreased.
According to the '2025 first quarter trade statistics by corporate characteristics (provisional)' released on the 15th by the Statistics Korea and the Korea Customs Service, the export amount of corporations in our country in the last first quarter was $159.8 billion, which is a 2.1% decrease compared to the first quarter of the previous year.
By corporate size, the export amount of large corporations in the first quarter was $159.8 billion, a decrease of 2.1% compared to the same period last year. The export amount of medium-sized corporations also decreased by 2.6% to $28.9 billion in the first quarter. In contrast, the export amount of small businesses increased by 1.3% compared to the same period last year.
In the first quarter, the trade concentration of the top 10 large corporations also fell for the first time in seven quarters. The trade concentration of the top 10 corporations rose due to increased semiconductor exports, continuing its upward trend since February 2023 (31.1%). It had risen to 38.1% in the fourth quarter of last year but fell to 36% this quarter.
By industry, exports in the wholesale and retail trade and mining manufacturing sectors decreased. Exports of petrochemical and metal products declined, with mining manufacturing exports down 0.5% compared to the same period last year, and wholesale and retail exports fell by 2.7%.
Looking at exports by commodity nature in the first quarter, the export of capital goods increased by 3.1% compared to the same period last year, while raw materials and consumer goods decreased by -9.7% and -4.9%, respectively. Exports of automobiles, steel, as well as home appliances, mineral fuels, and compounds, which President Trump had warned about regarding tariffs, also declined.
By country, exports decreased in all major countries and regions except for Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Exports to the United States decreased by 2.0% compared to the same period last year across large corporations, medium-sized corporations, and small businesses, while exports to China decreased by 6.7% primarily among large and medium-sized corporations compared to the same period last year.