# Republic of Korea Export Playbook for Southeast Asia

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> Yugalinks regional export playbook

Compare buyer markets, access conditions, and calculated product opportunities in Southeast Asia. Use this guide to prioritize research, not to treat calculated indicators as guaranteed sales.

## Navigation

- [Yugalinks home](https://www.yugalinks.com/)
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- [Open country workspace](https://www.yugalinks.com/app/countries)
- [Data sources](https://www.yugalinks.com/data-sources)
- [Methodology](https://www.yugalinks.com/methodology)

## Overview

- Exporter: Republic of Korea (KOR)
- Region: Southeast Asia
- Latest trade year: 2024
- Buyer markets: 9
- Calculated three-year opportunity: $335.9B
- Reported FTA markets: 9
- Average reported distance: 3,834 km
- Average business entry indicator: 30 days

## Market comparison

| Market | ISO3 | Opportunity | Products | FTA | Distance | Entry days | Top product |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | --- | ---: | ---: | --- |
| Singapore | SGP | $95.5B | 23 | Reported | 4,677 km | 2 | Electronic integrated circuits: n.e.c. in heading no. 8542 |
| Viet Nam | VNM | $66.4B | 23 | Reported | 2,740 km | 16 | Oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude |
| Thailand | THA | $63.9B | 16 | Reported | 3,725 km | 6 | Oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude |
| Malaysia | MYS | $49.3B | 15 | Reported | 4,614 km | 18 | Product not reported |
| Indonesia | IDN | $39.0B | 13 | Reported | 5,292 km | 13 | Product not reported |
| Philippines | PHL | $14.0B | 7 | Reported | 2,616 km | 33 | Coal: (other than anthracite and bituminous), whether or not pulverised but not agglomerated |
| Myanmar | MMR | $4.1B | 2 | Reported | 3,796 km | 7 | Product not reported |
| Brunei | BRN | $2.2B | 1 | Reported | 3,825 km | 6 | Oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude |
| Laos | LAO | $1.4B | 1 | Reported | 3,218 km | 173 | Product not reported |

## Product and market opportunities

| Rank | Market | Product | Opportunity | Buyer growth | Current share |
| ---: | --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| 1 | Singapore (SGP) | HS 854239 - Electronic integrated circuits: n.e.c. in heading no. 8542 | $16.7B | +4.4% | +2.5% |
| 2 | Thailand (THA) | HS 270900 - Oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude | $15.1B | +8.4% | +0.0% |
| 3 | Viet Nam (VNM) | HS 270900 - Oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude | $12.2B | +46.6% | +0.0% |
| 4 | Indonesia (IDN) | HS 271012 - Product description unavailable | $9.7B | +10.6% | +2.2% |
| 5 | Singapore (SGP) | HS 270900 - Oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude | $8.8B | +5.1% | +0.0% |
| 6 | Thailand (THA) | HS 710812 - Metals: gold, non-monetary, unwrought (but not powder) | $8.3B | +13.7% | +0.0% |
| 7 | Singapore (SGP) | HS 854232 - Electronic integrated circuits: memories | $6.6B | +3.4% | +2.7% |
| 8 | Singapore (SGP) | HS 841191 - Turbines: parts of turbo-jets and turbo-propellers | $6.0B | +13.1% | +0.4% |
| 9 | Thailand (THA) | HS 851712 - Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks | $5.9B | +12.2% | +0.1% |
| 10 | Viet Nam (VNM) | HS 850760 - Electric accumulators: lithium-ion, including separators, whether or not rectangular (including square) | $5.7B | +36.5% | +8.6% |
| 11 | Thailand (THA) | HS 847180 - Data processing machines: automatic, units thereof n.e.s. in heading no. 8471 | $5.7B | +16.0% | +0.0% |
| 12 | Singapore (SGP) | HS 851712 - Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks | $5.6B | +9.4% | +0.6% |
| 13 | Malaysia (MYS) | HS 271012 - Product description unavailable | $5.6B | +11.1% | +13.5% |
| 14 | Viet Nam (VNM) | HS 270112 - Coal: bituminous, whether or not pulverised, but not agglomerated | $5.4B | +39.5% | +0.0% |
| 15 | Malaysia (MYS) | HS 854231 - Electronic integrated circuits: processors and controllers, whether or not combined with memories, converters, logic circuits, amplifiers, clock and timing circuits, or other circuits | $5.2B | +5.1% | +5.4% |
| 16 | Singapore (SGP) | HS 854231 - Electronic integrated circuits: processors and controllers, whether or not combined with memories, converters, logic circuits, amplifiers, clock and timing circuits, or other circuits | $5.1B | +6.4% | +23.8% |
| 17 | Viet Nam (VNM) | HS 851770 - Telephone sets and other apparatus for the transmission or reception of voice, images or other data, via a wired or wireless network: parts | $4.9B | +20.7% | +34.9% |
| 18 | Singapore (SGP) | HS 880330 - Aircraft and spacecraft: parts of aeroplanes or helicopters n.e.c. in heading no. 8803 | $4.6B | +7.9% | +0.2% |
| 19 | Malaysia (MYS) | HS 270119 - Coal: (other than anthracite and bituminous), whether or not pulverised but not agglomerated | $4.5B | +26.7% | +0.0% |
| 20 | Thailand (THA) | HS 854239 - Electronic integrated circuits: n.e.c. in heading no. 8542 | $4.5B | +5.7% | +8.8% |

## Sector opportunities

| Sector | Products | Reported buyer imports | Opportunity | Average growth |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| HS2 85 - HS2 sector 85 | 26 | $208.7B | $102.6B | +11.5% |
| HS2 27 - HS2 sector 27 | 17 | $111.5B | $81.5B | +29.6% |
| HS2 84 - HS2 sector 84 | 16 | $56.7B | $45.1B | +14.5% |
| HS2 00 - HS2 sector 00 | 10 | $105.1B | $37.2B | +12.4% |
| HS2 71 - HS2 sector 71 | 4 | $37.5B | $16.3B | +21.3% |
| HS2 87 - HS2 sector 87 | 4 | $6.3B | $6.8B | +15.6% |
| HS2 88 - HS2 sector 88 | 2 | $7.6B | $6.7B | +5.7% |
| HS2 23 - HS2 sector 23 | 3 | $6.0B | $6.0B | +11.3% |

## Frequently asked questions

### Should Republic of Korea focus on Southeast Asia?

Use the market ranking as a starting point, then check product fit, buyer requirements, route costs, tariffs, standards, and competitive conditions.

### What does calculated opportunity mean?

It is a screening indicator built from demand and exporter-position signals. It is not a confirmed order, sales forecast, or guarantee of market entry.

### How should exporters use this page?

Prioritize one market and product combination, then validate buyers, compliance, logistics, pricing, and continuity before making a commercial decision.

## Method

Reported trade observations and calculated indicators are shown separately. Validate buyers, tariffs, standards, logistics, pricing, and competition before acting.

Yugalinks presents derived views for research and planning. [Read the full methodology](https://www.yugalinks.com/methodology).

## Data sources

- Primary trade series: OECD (2025), Balanced international merchandise trade statistics (BIMTS) - HS2017-6D, OECD Data Explorer (accessed on 2026-08-30). [OECD Data Explorer](https://data-explorer.oecd.org/) - [OECD Terms & Conditions](https://www.oecd.org/termsandconditions/)
- CEPII BACI bilateral trade flows (202601): [dataset page](https://www.cepii.fr/CEPII/en/bdd_modele/bdd_modele_item.asp?id=37) - [BACI documentation](https://www.cepii.fr/DATA_DOWNLOAD/baci/doc/baci_webpage.html) - [Etalab 2.0 Open Licence](https://www.etalab.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/open-licence.pdf)

This page presents derived Yugalinks views of reported observations and calculated indicators.