South Korea's automobile exports reached an all-time high of $72 billion last year, driven by strong overseas demand for eco-friendly vehicles and used cars. The figure represents a 1.7 percent increase from 2024's $70.8 billion. The government aims to sustain this momentum amid ongoing global trade uncertainties.
South Korea's automobile exports reached an all-time high of $72 billion in 2025, according to data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources released on Thursday. This marks a 1.7 percent increase from $70.8 billion in 2024 and surpasses the previous record of $70.9 billion set in 2023 by 1.55 percent. It is the third consecutive year that annual car exports have exceeded the $70 billion mark.
Despite facing unfavorable conditions such as U.S. tariff measures, the industry achieved this milestone thanks to robust demand for Korean-made eco-friendly cars and used vehicles. Exports of eco-friendly vehicles, including electric, hydrogen, and hybrid models, rose 11 percent year-on-year to $25.8 billion. Hybrid car shipments, in particular, surged 30 percent to a record $14.8 billion.
Used car exports spiked 75.1 percent to an all-time high of $8.87 billion, bolstered by the strong brand recognition of Korean cars and the weakness of the local currency, the ministry noted. Domestically, automobile production totaled 4.1 million units, topping 4 million for the third straight year. Car sales in the country increased 3.3 percent to 1.68 million units, consisting of 1.36 million Korean-brand vehicles and 320,000 imports.
Eco-friendly car sales advanced 25 percent to 813,000 units, accounting for nearly half of total domestic sales. The ministry stated it will work to maintain the strong export momentum and enhance the automobile industry's fundamental competitiveness in the future mobility sector this year amid persisting global trade uncertainties.
