Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) reports that, influenced by the US's containment policies towards China, South Korea's exports to China declined sharply over the past five years (2021-2025), with a drop of approximately 20%. Simultaneously, South Korea's exports to the US increased by 28.2%, while exports to ASEAN and Vietnam grew by 12.5% and 10.8% respectively, demonstrating a growing trend of diversification in South Korea's export markets.
Professor Heo Yoon of Sogang University stated that as South Korean companies increase investment in the US and expand industrial cooperation, exports to the US market are expected to continue to grow. Regions of particular interest include ASEAN, especially Vietnam and Thailand.
Over the past five years, South Korea's exports to ASEAN have increased by 12.5%, reaching US$122.4 billion in 2025, up from US$108.8 billion in 2021. At the same time, South Korea's exports to Vietnam also increased by 10.8%, from US$56.7 billion to US$62.8 billion.
Professor Xu Yun believes that due to the difficulties imposed on Chinese companies exporting directly to the United States by relevant regulations, they have been forced to establish factories in Vietnam or ASEAN countries, exporting to the US and EU through a "circumvention" route. Meanwhile, the increase in South Korean exports to Vietnam is also due to the establishment of factories in Vietnam by large South Korean companies such as Samsung Electronics and LG, which has driven a significant increase in exports of intermediate products and key components.
Although the global economy is expected to slow down in 2026 due to US tariff policies and oversupply in China, analysts still believe that South Korean exports to Southeast Asia remain competitive. (End)
