As of the cumulative third quarter this year, K-beauty exports hit an all-time high, establishing themselves as a new flagship item for Korea's exports. By reducing reliance on China and showing balanced growth in major markets such as the United States and Japan, the sector is being assessed as having secured trade competitiveness comparable to semiconductors and passenger cars.
According to the "2025 first- to third-quarter cosmetics export performance" released by the Korea Customs Service on the 17th, the cumulative cosmetics export value in the third quarter this year was $8.52 billion, up 15.4% from the same period a year earlier. This is the highest performance ever on a quarterly cumulative basis.
A notable change is that the landscape of export markets has shifted.
For the first time ever this year, the United States became the largest export destination. Exports to the United States reached $1.675 billion, up 18.2% from a year earlier.
China, which long held the No. 1 spot, fell to second with $1.579 billion. That was down 11.5% from a year earlier, extending the slump that began in 2022.
An official at the Korea Customs Service said, "We reduced dependence on top export markets such as China and secured a stable export base by entering new markets."
Along with growth in the U.S. market, balanced gains in other major markets such as Japan ($823 million, up 10.3%) are further solidifying the export base. According to the Korea Customs Service, the export market expanded to a record 205 countries this year.
K-beauty export volume has surged about 3.5 times over the past 10 years (2015–2024). The average annual growth rate reached 14.8%, and in 2024 it rose to become the world's No. 3 exporter.
An official at the Korea Customs Service projected, "Considering that exports usually increase in the fourth quarter, this year's cosmetics exports are likely to set another annual record, following last year's $10.2 billion."