Korea dropped to ninth place among the United States' top import partners in 2025, as its market share eroded under tariffs imposed during the previous administration, according to a report by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA).
Based on U.S. Commerce Department data analyzed by KITA, the United States imported goods worth 113.4 billion dollars from Korea from January to November 2025, down 5.9 percent from the previous year. The share of total U.S. imports fell to 3.6 percent, down from 4 percent in 2024, marking the lowest level since KITA began compiling the data in 1988.
Mexico, Canada, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Germany, Japan and Ireland were ahead of Korea in the ranking, with the decline largely attributed to Korea’s greater exposure to U.S. tariffs, which allowed rivals like Taiwan and Ireland to overtake it.
Taiwan rose to fourth place from eighth in 2024, accounting for 5.6 percent of total U.S. imports, up from 3.6 percent. While Taiwan faces a temporary 20 percent reciprocal tariff due to the absence of a U.S. trade deal, its semiconductor exports have largely continued to be affected by separate product tariffs.
In contrast, Korea’s key exports to the U.S., including vehicles and steel, face higher tariffs, significantly impacting its ranking. Japan also fell to seventh place from fifth, reflecting a similar trade structure focused on advanced manufacturing sectors.
Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan commented that uncertainty in the trade environment is growing amid U.S. tariff policies and rising protectionism, but the government aims to prioritize national interests in talks with Washington and to build a resilient trade structure through diversification of export items, markets and trading entities.
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