South Korea's cosmetics exports hit a record high last year, driven by the global popularity of Korean culture and the country's efforts to diversify export markets, data showed Friday.
Outbound shipments of Korean beauty products rose 12.3 percent from a year earlier to a record US$11.43 billion in 2025, according to the data from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
By country, exports to the United States rose 15.1 percent on-year to $2.19 billion in 2025, while shipments to China fell 19.2 percent to $2.01 billion.
Exports to the U.S. have been on a steady rise, making it the No. 1 destination for South Korean cosmetics for the first time ever last year.
Shipments to Japan increased 5 percent to $1.09 billion in 2025, and those to Hong Kong jumped 21.6 percent to $705 million.
