South Korea’s imports surged 26.0% year-over-year in September 2026, marking a sharp acceleration from the 22.4% annual gain recorded in August 2026. The latest data, updated on 1 October 2026, underline strengthening external demand and higher import values compared with the same period a year earlier.
Both the current and previous readings are based on year-over-year comparisons, measuring how imports in each month changed relative to the same month of the prior year. The pickup from August to September suggests continued momentum in inbound trade flows, with September’s figure indicating that import growth is not only sustained but intensifying as the second half of 2026 progresses.
