The total number of export countries increased by 4 from 172 last year to 176 this year.
In the first half of this year, Korea's cosmetics exports reached a record high of 5.51 billion dollars (approximately 7.5 trillion won).
Exports to China Decrease, Exports to Europe and the Middle East Increase
According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on July 3, Korea's cosmetics exports from January to June this year increased by 14.8% compared to the previous record high in the first half of last year (4.8 billion dollars).
China was the largest export destination, with 1.08 billion dollars (approximately 1.5 trillion won) in exports, followed by the United States with 1.02 billion dollars, and Japan with 550 million dollars.
Exports to China decreased by 10.8% compared to the same period last year, and for the first time, the proportion of exports to China among total exports in the first half fell to the 10% range (18.5%). In contrast, exports to Poland have surged since last year, making Poland the first European country to enter the top 10 export destinations.
In particular, exports to Europe, the Middle East, Southwest Asia, and Latin America increased,
Exports to Poland amounted to 150 million dollars, the United Kingdom 100 million dollars, and France 70 million dollars.Getty Images Bank
Preparing to Introduce a Safety Assessment System to Secure Competitiveness
By product type, basic cosmetics accounted for the largest share, with exports increasing by 14.9% year-on-year to 4.11 billion dollars (approximately 5.6 trillion won). This was followed by color cosmetics (approximately 750 million dollars), personal cleansing products (approximately 270 million dollars), and hair care products (approximately 220 million dollars).
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated, "With the implementation of new regulations such as safety assessment systems in countries like the United States and China, we are preparing to introduce a safety assessment system domestically to harmonize regulations and enhance the international competitiveness of the cosmetics industry.""We also plan to actively pursue regulatory diplomacy with major export countries such as the United States and China," to ensure that high-quality Korean cosmetics can smoothly enter the global market.
