Seoul: South Korea's trade surplus in cosmetic products exceeded US$10 billion for the first time last year, government data showed Friday, marking a significant milestone for the country's K-beauty industry. The trade surplus in cosmetics rose 13.5 percent from a year earlier to reach $10.1 billion in 2025, as reported by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in a press release.

According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea initially recorded a cosmetics trade surplus in 2012, with a modest amount of $90 million. Since then, the figure has seen rapid growth, escalating from $6.6 billion in 2022 to $7.1 billion in 2023 and $8.9 billion in 2024. The remarkable increase underscores the expanding influence of South Korea's beauty industry on the global stage.

The report highlighted that last year's cosmetics trade surplus accounted for 12.9 percent of the country's overall trade surplus of $78 billion. This notable contribution emphasizes cosmetics as a key player in boosting South Korea's economy. "South Korea's overall trade surplus reached its highest level since 2017, with cosmetics accounting for more than 10 percent of the total and emerging as one of the country's leading surplus-generating industries," a ministry official stated.

The ministry attributed this record performance to the increasing global popularity of Korean cultural content, such as K-pop and K-dramas. These cultural phenomena have significantly bolstered the appeal of Korean beauty products worldwide, driving demand and enhancing South Korea's economic stature in the cosmetics sector.