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South Korea Auto Exports on Record Pace as Hybrids and Used Cars Power November Rebound

A recent tariff cut to 15% helped revive U.S. shipments in November.

Automobiles await shipment overseas at a port in Pyeongtaek, about 60 kilometers south of Seoul, in this file photo taken July 1, 2025. (Yonhap)
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Automobiles await shipment overseas at a port in Pyeongtaek, about 60 kilometers south of Seoul, in this file photo taken Oct. 1, 2025. (Yonhap)
Kang Gam-chan, deputy minister for trade and investment, speaks to reporters at the government complex in the central administrative city of Sejong in this Dec. 1, 2025, file photo. (Yonhap)

Overview

  • Cumulative automobile exports reached about $66.04 billion from January through November, leaving a new annual high within reach.
  • November auto exports rose 13.7% year over year to roughly $6.4 billion, led by strong shipments of eco‑friendly models.
  • Exports of eco‑friendly vehicles climbed 23.4% to 78,436 units in November, with hybrids up about 40% to 54,296 units.
  • Used‑car exports surged more than 80% to $8.4 billion year to date, while excluding used cars, auto exports fell 4.2% to $57.6 billion.
  • U.S.‑bound shipments increased 5.1% in November after Korea‑U.S. talks lowered auto tariffs to 15%, though January–November exports to the United States remain down 14.2%.