Data as of: Korean import data through September 2026, queried October 15, 2026; FTA list checked October 15, 2026.
South Korea’s fish and seafood imports by country are led by China, with 23.2% of import value in Jan–Sep 2026, followed by Russia (16.9%), Vietnam (14.3%) and Norway (10.4%), according to SEACHING analysis of Korea Customs Service data. Together the four supplied 64.8% of Korea’s US$4,415.6 million in seafood imports.
The number that matters: 64.8%
The top four’s share of Korea’s seafood imports in Jan–Sep 2026, up from 63.1% a year earlier. Each leads different products; the main overlap is China and Vietnam, which split Korea’s frozen peeled shrimp and frozen fish surimi roughly evenly.
Key takeaways
- China was Korea’s largest seafood supplier in Jan–Sep 2026 at US$1,024.2 million, 1.4% less than a year earlier (SEACHING analysis of Korea Customs Service data).
- Russia’s seafood sales to Korea rose 8.8% in value in Jan–Sep 2026, to US$747.5 million, the fastest growth among Korea’s top four suppliers (SEACHING analysis of Korea Customs Service data).
- Of 83 Korean import lines (10-digit HS codes) worth US$10 million or more in Jan–Sep 2026, China was the largest origin for 23, Russia for 14, Vietnam for 10, Japan for 5 and Norway for 4 (SEACHING analysis of Korea Customs Service data).
- Türkiye climbed from 22nd place among Korea’s seafood origins in 2024 to 12th in Jan–Sep 2026, on frozen bluefin tuna fillets worth US$56.8 million (SEACHING analysis of Korea Customs Service data).
Which countries does South Korea import the most seafood from?
China, Russia, Vietnam and Norway, in that order; Peru, in fifth, supplied less than half of Norway’s share. Korea’s seafood imports here means HS chapter 03 plus prepared fish and crustaceans (HS 1603–1605); seaweed and salt are excluded.
| Rank | Origin | Value, Jan–Sep 2026 (US$ million) | Share | Volume (tonnes) | Value vs Jan–Sep 2025 | Volume vs Jan–Sep 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 1,024.2 | 23.2% | 293,024 | -1.4% | +5.7% |
| 2 | Russia | 747.5 | 16.9% | 184,267 | +8.8% | -11.8% |
| 3 | Vietnam | 631.8 | 14.3% | 115,332 | +4.8% | -4.7% |
| 4 | Norway | 458.4 | 10.4% | 47,496 | +5.0% | -25.8% |
| 5 | Peru | 181.4 | 4.1% | 48,596 | -8.8% | +41.7% |
| 6 | Japan | 161.6 | 3.7% | 23,375 | +13.2% | -39.9% |
| 7 | United States | 137.3 | 3.1% | 38,763 | +7.3% | +0.8% |
| 8 | Chile | 115.1 | 2.6% | 28,943 | -12.7% | +13.7% |
| 9 | Thailand | 96.3 | 2.2% | 13,064 | -7.5% | -6.6% |
| 10 | Canada | 79.7 | 1.8% | 7,194 | +17.0% | +82.1% |
| 11 | Taiwan | 72.9 | 1.7% | 17,690 | -0.8% | -3.4% |
| 12 | Türkiye | 66.4 | 1.5% | 3,134 | +18.7% | +9.1% |
| 13 | Argentina | 49.9 | 1.1% | 7,640 | -9.0% | -17.2% |
| 14 | United Kingdom | 45.4 | 1.0% | 5,001 | +1.6% | +4.6% |
| 15 | Indonesia | 38.8 | 0.9% | 7,797 | -12.1% | -23.7% |
| All origins | 4,415.6 | 100% | 959,847 | +0.7% | -4.6% |
Source: SEACHING analysis of Korea Customs Service data, imports, HS 03 and 1603–1605, Jan–Sep 2026 vs Jan–Sep 2025.
The top 15 supplied 88.5%. Korea paid 0.7% more for 4.6% less seafood than a year earlier. At least 84 origins shipped US$100,000 or more of seafood to Korea in the 12 months to September 2026.
How has the ranking changed since 2024?
The top four held the same places in full-year 2024, full-year 2025 and Jan–Sep 2026.
| Origin | 2024 rank | 2025 rank | Jan–Sep 2026 rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peru | 7 | 5 | 5 |
| Japan | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| United States | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Chile | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Canada | 9 | 11 | 10 |
| Türkiye | 22 | 14 | 12 |
| United Kingdom | 18 | 16 | 14 |
| Hong Kong | 12 | 12 | 29 |
Source: SEACHING analysis of Korea Customs Service data, imports by value, HS 03 and 1603–1605. Full years compared with a nine-month total, so only ranks are compared.
Two moves come from a single product. Türkiye’s frozen bluefin tuna fillets made up 85.6% of its sales to Korea in Jan–Sep 2026. Hong Kong fell because its glass eels for aquaculture (HS 0301.92.1000) dropped from US$87.2 million in Jan–Sep 2025 to US$12.8 million. Peru has held fifth place since 2025. This year its prepared squid fell 38.6% in value, while its frozen squid volume rose 74.2%. The 2025 full-year review has more.
What does each country sell to Korea?
Most large suppliers lead different products. The table lists each main origin’s three biggest 10-digit HS codes and its share of Korea’s imports of that code.
| Origin | Largest product (US$ million, origin’s share of Korea’s imports of the code) | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | Frozen peeled shrimp, 0306.17.1090 (127.7, 40.7%) | Frozen squid, 0307.43.2090 (82.5, 35.1%) | Live, fresh or chilled octopus (nakji), 0307.51.1000 (78.7, 99.4%) |
| Russia | Live, fresh or chilled snow crab, 0306.33.2000 (125.8, 97.1%) | Frozen Alaska pollock, 0303.67.0000 (88.1, 93.9%) | Other frozen crab, 0306.14.9090 (84.1, 79.8%) |
| Vietnam | Frozen peeled shrimp, 0306.17.1090 (133.1, 42.4%) | Frozen webfoot octopus (jukkumi), 0307.52.3000 (119.5, 82.4%) | Breaded shrimp, 1605.21.1000 (62.5, 82.2%) |
| Norway | Fresh or chilled Atlantic salmon, 0302.14.0000 (199.7, 96.5%) | Fresh or chilled salmon fillets, 0304.41.0000 (124.5, 97.0%) | Frozen mackerel, 0303.54.0000 (84.5, 78.6%) |
| Peru | Frozen squid, 0307.43.2090 (58.1, 24.7%) | Prepared squid, 1605.54.2099 (56.4, 72.7%) | Frozen whiteleg shrimp, 0306.17.9091 (39.7, 59.4%) |
| Japan | Live yellowtail, 0301.99.2000 (33.4, 100%) | Live red sea bream, 0301.99.4091 (33.2, 98.6%) | Live, fresh or chilled scallops, 0307.21.9000 (18.4, 91.4%) |
| United States | Frozen pollock surimi, 0304.94.1000 (38.2, 57.7%) | Frozen flatfish, 0303.39.1000 (11.9, 27.8%) | Frozen flatfish fillets, 0304.83.1000 (8.1, 66.2%) |
| Chile | Frozen Pacific salmon, 0303.12.0000 (54.1, 90.9%) | Frozen squid, 0307.43.2090 (33.0, 14.0%) | Frozen salmon fillets, 0304.81.0000 (9.3, 65.4%) |
| Thailand | Frozen webfoot octopus, 0307.52.3000 (19.1, 13.2%) | Other prepared shrimp, 1605.21.9000 (17.3, 27.3%) | Breaded shrimp, 1605.21.1000 (13.1, 17.2%) |
| Canada | Frozen lobster, 0306.12.9000 (31.9, 99.6%) | Live or fresh lobster, 0306.32.0000 (20.9, 99.8%) | Frozen rockfish, 0303.89.9050 (7.3, 24.1%) |
| Türkiye | Frozen bluefin tuna fillets, 0304.87.1000 (56.8, 39.3%) |
Source: SEACHING analysis of Korea Customs Service data, imports, Jan–Sep 2026.
Norway, Russia and Canada each supply more than 95% of Korea’s imports of their largest product. Frozen squid is split: China holds 35.1% of Korea’s imports, Peru 24.7% and Chile 14.0%. See also Korea’s top imported seafood species.
Why did Russia lose first place, and is it recovering?
Russia was Korea’s largest seafood supplier in 2022, and its sales fell 17.6% in 2024, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). In Jan–Sep 2026 its sales rose 8.8% in value, though volume fell 11.8%. Frozen pollock volume fell 24.0%, and frozen sardines almost stopped, from 16,805 tonnes to 991 tonnes. Snow crab value rose 3.3%.
Russia has no free trade agreement with Korea: it is not on the Korea Customs Service list of FTAs in force (May 2026 list, checked October 15, 2026). In 2026, Russian frozen pollock pays a 22% adjustment tariff and live, fresh or chilled snow crab pays 20%, as of October 2026. The USDA’s 2025 Korea seafood report also notes: “Industry sources report that some of the Russian fishery species were sold to China for further processing and finally exported to the ROK from China.” No public figure shows how much trade this covers. More in Korea’s pollock imports and Russian crab in Korea.
What does China sell to Korea?
China sold Korea US$1,024.2 million of seafood in Jan–Sep 2026, 1.4% less than a year earlier, while volume rose 5.7%. Its three largest products are in the table above. The guide to exporting Chinese seafood to Korea covers China in detail.
Why do other sources rank some countries differently?
Scope changes the ranking. Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) country tables also count sea salt and fishmeal. In the MOF file for Jan–Jul 2026, salt lifts India and fishmeal lifts Chile. USDA reports use Korea International Trade Association data with another scope. The guide to South Korea’s seafood market size compares these sources.
Where does your country rank, and who are you competing with?
Find your country in the first table and its products in the second. Shrimp sellers compete with China and Vietnam, and squid sellers with China, Peru and Chile. Origin guides: Vietnam, Norway, Chile, Peru and Ecuador, India shrimp, Thailand and Indonesia and the US and Canada. The Q3 2026 import report has the latest quarter.
On SEACHING, a Korea seafood trade data platform operated by LINKSUP, Inc. in Busan, each product page has a “By Country” table. The page below, for HS 1605.21.1000 (shrimp covered with bread crumbs or batter), lists value, unit price and volume by origin for October 2025 to September 2026.
See your country’s numbers
Country pages on SEACHING: China–Korea seafood trade (free sign-up), Russia–Korea seafood trade (free sign-up), Vietnam–Korea seafood trade (free sign-up) and Norway–Korea seafood trade (free sign-up).
See how your country ranks among Korea’s seafood suppliers, product by product and month by month. Open your product’s Korea import page on SEACHING (free sign-up)
FAQ
How many countries export seafood to South Korea?
At least 84 origins shipped US$100,000 or more of seafood (HS 03 and 1603–1605) to Korea in the 12 months to September 2026, according to SEACHING analysis of Korea Customs Service data.
Does South Korea have a free trade agreement with Russia?
No. Russia is not on the Korea Customs Service list of FTAs in force (May 2026 list, checked October 15, 2026), so Russian seafood pays non-preferential rates, for example 22% on frozen pollock in 2026 (as of October 2026). Confirm the rate for your product with a Korean customs broker.
Does South Korea import seafood from Japan?
Yes. Japan was Korea’s sixth-largest seafood origin in Jan–Sep 2026 at US$161.6 million, led by live yellowtail and live red sea bream. Korea has banned all seafood from eight Japanese prefectures, including Fukushima, since September 9, 2013, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) (checked October 15, 2026).
Sources and method
- SEACHING, Korea seafood imports by HS code and origin, Korea Customs Service data, monthly imports through September 2026, queried October 15, 2026
- USDA FAS GAIN KS2025-0046, Korea Seafood Market Update 2025, November 25, 2025, page 9
- Korea Customs Service FTA portal, FTAs in force, May 2026 list, checked October 15, 2026
- KCS tariff schedule by HSK, 2026 (data.go.kr), registered February 11, 2026
- MFDS imported food radiation safety information, checked October 15, 2026
- Method: scope is HS chapter 03 plus HS 1603, 1604 and 1605, imports only; HS 1212, salt and non-edible products are excluded. Origin totals add up 10-digit HS lines worth at least US$100,000 a year from that origin; smaller lines (US$6.4 million in Jan–Sep 2026, 0.15% of the total) are not assigned to an origin but are in the “All origins” row. Shares use that total. The 2024 and 2025 ranks use the same method; 2023 by origin is not in the dataset. Values are customs values in US dollars (CIF).
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