MFDS records USD 11.4 billion in Korean cosmetics exports for 2025
A dated industry brief on the Korean regulator’s 2025 trade figures, including the reporting period and leading export destinations.
Published
19 October 2026 — THE CAST industry desk reviews the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety record posted on 28 May 2026, referring to its 22 May analysis of the previous year’s cosmetics trade. The figures concern 2025, rather than sales generated in October 2026.
The reported result
MFDS recorded cosmetics exports of USD 11.4 billion for 2025, an 11.8% increase from 2024. The agency reported a cosmetics trade surplus of USD 10.1 billion and described Korea as the world’s second-largest cosmetics exporter. It listed the United States, China and Japan as the three leading export destinations, at USD 2.2 billion, USD 2.0 billion and USD 1.1 billion respectively.
What the numbers help readers understand
A national export total provides context for the international reach of Korean beauty. It does not measure an individual retailer’s orders or establish demand for every product. Keep the reporting year, currency and metric together when comparing this announcement with a later half-year update.
From market context to an actual purchase
For a shopping decision, return to the exact product listing, delivery destination and current order conditions. THE CAST’s catalog supplies its own available items; the national figures do not confirm that a particular brand or product is sold by THE CAST. The linked regulator record is the source for this brief, and THE CAST is responsible for the editorial explanation.