Data as of: UN Comtrade 2023 (exporter-reported); Korea’s imports Jan–Sep 2026 vs Jan–Sep 2025 (SEACHING analysis of Korea Customs Service data); tariffs and rules checked October 14, 2026.
South Korea bought only 2.89% of Thailand’s seafood exports in 2023 and 1.62% of Indonesia’s, against 8.44% of Vietnam’s, according to exporter-reported UN Comtrade data. The gap is uneven across products. Korea took 81.3% of Thailand’s frozen octopus exports but only 4.8% of its frozen squid and cuttlefish.
Key takeaways
- Korea took 2.89% of Thailand’s world seafood exports, 1.62% of Indonesia’s (excluding seaweed) and 8.44% of Vietnam’s in 2023, according to exporter-reported UN Comtrade data.
- Without prepared tuna, Thailand’s largest export line, Korea’s share of Thai seafood exports in 2023 rises to about 4.7% (UN Comtrade).
- In Jan–Sep 2026, Thailand supplied 13.2% of Korea’s frozen webfoot octopus imports, 38.7% of its fish cake imports and 39.9% of its salted jellyfish imports, according to SEACHING analysis of Korea Customs Service data.
- Under Korea’s 2026 tariff schedule, Thai fish cake and frozen cuttlefish pay 5% under the ASEAN–Korea FTA, while the same lines from Vietnam pay 0%.
How much of Thailand’s and Indonesia’s seafood goes to Korea?
Less than 3% in both cases, against more than 8% for Vietnam, in 2023 (UN Comtrade). All three have FTAs with Korea, so tariffs alone do not explain the gap.
| Exporter (2023) | World seafood exports | Exports to Korea | Korea’s share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vietnam | US$9,454.3 million | US$798.3 million | 8.44% |
| Thailand | US$5,274.5 million | US$152.3 million | 2.89% |
| Indonesia (excl. seaweed) | US$5,016.4 million | US$81.2 million | 1.62% |
Source: UN Comtrade, exporter-reported FOB values, 2023. Scope: HS 03, 1604, 1605, 1504, 230120 and 051191.
Thailand’s total is inflated by one product Korea hardly buys. Prepared tuna (HS 160414) was Thailand’s largest seafood export in 2023 at US$2,087.4 million, and only US$3.16 million of it (0.15%) went to Korea. Take tuna out and Korea’s share of Thai seafood exports rises to about 4.7%.
Which Thai seafood already sells in Korea?
Thailand ranked 9th among Korea’s seafood suppliers in Jan–Sep 2026, with US$96.3 million or 2.2% of Korea’s seafood imports, down 7.5% from Jan–Sep 2025, according to SEACHING analysis of Korea Customs Service data. Vietnam held 14.3%.
| HSK (Korea’s 10-digit code) | Product | Imports from Thailand | Thailand’s share of this HSK | Largest origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0307.52.3000 | Frozen webfoot octopus (jukkumi) | US$19.11 million | 13.2% | Vietnam, 82.4% |
| 1605.21.9000 | Prepared shrimp, other | US$17.33 million | 27.3% | Vietnam |
| 1605.21.1000 | Breaded shrimp | US$13.06 million | 17.2% | Vietnam |
| 0306.17.1090 | Frozen peeled shrimp | US$11.51 million | 3.7% | Vietnam |
| 0307.43.1090 | Frozen cuttlefish, other species | US$5.74 million | 14.3% | Vietnam, 70.9% |
| 0308.30.4000 | Salted jellyfish | US$5.22 million | 39.9% | Mexico, 46.7% |
| 1604.20.4090 | Fish cake (not crab-flavored) | US$4.00 million | 38.7% | Thailand (China 22.4%) |
| 1604.20.4010 | Crab-flavored fish cake (crab sticks) | US$1.64 million | 43.0% | Thailand (India 23.6%) |
Source: SEACHING analysis of Korea Customs Service data, Jan–Sep 2026.
In fish cake and crab sticks, Thailand is already Korea’s largest supplier. In salted jellyfish it is second to Mexico, and in webfoot octopus and cuttlefish it is a distant second to Vietnam. Shrimp lines are covered in the guide to exporting shrimp from India, Indonesia and Thailand.
Thai product also sells at a higher price in some lines. Korea’s customs value for Thai webfoot octopus averaged US$7.96 per kg in Jan–Sep 2026, against US$6.98 for Vietnamese. Thai fish cake averaged US$4.53 per kg, against US$2.99 for Chinese. Check the monthly series for frozen webfoot octopus import data (free sign-up) and fish cake imports into Korea (free sign-up).
The origin page for Thai webfoot octopus tracks Korea’s monthly customs unit price and adds SEACHING’s model forecast as a dashed line.
Where is the headroom, product by product?
Headroom is largest where a country exports a lot and Korea takes little. The table compares each product’s world exports with the share that went to Korea in 2023.
| Product (HS 6-digit) | Thailand: world exports | Thailand: Korea’s share | Indonesia: world exports | Indonesia: Korea’s share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frozen octopus (030752) | US$43.1 million | 81.3% | US$110.0 million | 7.4% |
| Jellyfish (030830) | US$16.3 million | 45.7% | – | – |
| Prepared shrimp, not airtight (160529 / 160521) | US$414.7 million | 7.1% | US$422.8 million | 0.2% |
| Frozen squid and cuttlefish (030743) | US$225.6 million | 4.8% | US$627.1 million | 2.1% |
| Frozen shrimp (030617) | US$594.4 million | 4.2% | US$1,110.6 million | 0.8% |
| Other prepared fish, incl. fish cake (160420) | US$313.8 million | 3.8% | – | – |
| Prepared crab (160510) | – | – | US$347.9 million | 0.03% |
Source: UN Comtrade, exporter-reported FOB values, 2023. “–” means not queried for this article.
Korea already takes four of every five dollars of Thai frozen octopus, and nearly half of Thai jellyfish. The room for Thailand is in frozen squid and cuttlefish (US$225.6 million exported, 4.8% to Korea) and prepared fish (US$313.8 million, 3.8%). For Indonesia, frozen squid and cuttlefish is the big line. Indonesia exported US$627.1 million of it in 2023, and Korea took 2.1%.
Headroom is not demand. Some squid lines carry an adjustment tariff (see the tariff section), so read the table as a list of products to check. These are 2023 FOB values reported by exporters; do not compare them directly with Korea’s 2026 CIF import figures.
Indonesia: a different product mix
In Jan–Sep 2026, Korea imported US$38.8 million of Indonesian seafood, 0.9% of its seafood imports and down 12.1% from Jan–Sep 2025 (SEACHING analysis of Korea Customs Service data). Korea’s seafood imports here means HS chapter 03 plus prepared fish and crustaceans (HS 1603–1605); seaweed and salt are excluded.
| HSK | Product | Imports from Indonesia | Indonesia’s share of this HSK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0305.49.9000 | Other smoked fish, incl. fillets | US$5.98 million | 69.3% |
| 1604.32.0000 | Caviar substitutes | US$5.00 million | 30.6% |
| 0303.55.0000 | Frozen jack mackerel | US$2.75 million | 83.4% |
| 0307.43.1090 | Frozen cuttlefish, other species | US$2.61 million | 6.5% |
| 0307.43.2010 | Frozen squid (Loligo, Ommastrephes and related species) | US$2.53 million | 20.4% (Vietnam 42.7%) |
| 0307.52.3000 | Frozen webfoot octopus | US$1.81 million | 1.2% |
| 0304.61.0000 | Frozen tilapia fillets | US$1.49 million | 48.4% (Taiwan 49.4%) |
Source: SEACHING analysis of Korea Customs Service data, Jan–Sep 2026.
The gap with Thailand is clearest in webfoot octopus and cuttlefish. Indonesian frozen octopus exports were US$110.0 million in 2023, but Indonesia held only 1.2% of Korea’s webfoot octopus imports in Jan–Sep 2026. Webfoot octopus has its own HSK line, separate from long-arm and large octopus; see Korea’s octopus imports by HS code. Compare Indonesia’s monthly figures on Indonesia’s seafood trade with Korea (free sign-up).
Which tariff applies: AKFTA, Korea–Indonesia CEPA or RCEP?
Thailand ships under the ASEAN–Korea FTA (AKFTA) or RCEP. Indonesia can also use the Korea–Indonesia CEPA, in force since January 1, 2023. RCEP has applied in Korea since February 1, 2022. The rate differs by 10-digit HSK code, and “most Thai seafood enters at 0%” is not true for every line.
| HSK / product | Basic rate | AKFTA | Korea–Indonesia CEPA | Vietnam (Korea–Vietnam FTA) | China (Korea–China FTA) | RCEP (ASEAN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0307.52.3000 frozen webfoot octopus | 20% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 8% | 13.3% |
| 0308.30.4000 salted jellyfish | 20% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 8% | 13.3% |
| 0307.43.1090 frozen cuttlefish, other | 20% | 5% | no line | 0% | 8% | 20% |
| 1604.20.4090 fish cake | 20% | 5% | no line | 0% | 8% | 20% |
| 1604.20.4010 crab sticks | 20% | 5% | 2.1% | 0% | 4% | 20% |
| 0305.49.9000 other smoked fish | 20% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 4% | 13.3% |
| 0304.61.0000 frozen tilapia fillets | 10% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 4% | 5% |
Source: Korea Customs Service, tariff schedule by HSK code, 2026 rates (January 1 to December 31, 2026). “No line” means the agreement has no rate for that code, so another agreement or the general rate applies.
Three points matter for pricing. First, Thai fish cake, crab sticks and cuttlefish pay 5% under AKFTA, while Vietnamese product pays 0%. Second, an Indonesian crab-stick exporter does better under the CEPA (2.1%) than under AKFTA (5%), but has no CEPA line for fish cake or cuttlefish. Third, RCEP rates were higher than AKFTA on every line in the table, so RCEP is rarely the first choice for these products.
Frozen squid is a special case. Korea applies a 22% adjustment tariff to frozen squid in 2026, and the AKFTA line for Loligo-type squid (0307.43.2010) is 21.6%. For Indonesian squid in that code, expect a rate above 20% whichever agreement you use.
The importer claims the FTA rate before Korean customs accepts the declaration and must hold proof of origin. Under AKFTA, that proof is the certificate of origin known as Form AK, issued in the exporting country. Agree with your buyer which agreement they will claim before you apply for the certificate. Rates here are from the 2026 schedule as of October 14, 2026; your buyer’s customs broker should confirm the rate on Korea Customs Service UNIPASS for the declaration date. More on rate types is in the Korea seafood import duty guide.
What do you do before the first shipment to Korea?
The common steps are in the step-by-step guide to exporting seafood to Korea.
| Step | Who | Documents or tools | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Find your 10-digit HSK code and your share of it in Korea | Exporter | Korea’s import data by HSK and origin | Before you quote |
| 2. Choose the agreement (AKFTA, Korea–Indonesia CEPA or RCEP) | Exporter with the importer’s customs broker | Certificate of origin for that agreement (Form AK for AKFTA) | Before the import declaration is accepted |
| 3. Get your plant registered with MFDS through your government | Plant, via your national competent authority | Government notification to Korea | Before the import declaration; valid 2 years |
| 4. Get a health certificate for each shipment | Your national competent authority | Health certificate naming the registered plant | Each shipment |
| 5. Check whether your product needs NFQS quarantine | Exporter with importer | Quarantine certificate only for covered products | Before shipment |
| 6. Agree on the Korean label text | Exporter with importer | Korean label content | Before cartons are printed |
Thailand and Indonesia are both on the list of 11 countries with a seafood safety arrangement with Korea, according to a guide from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) dated October 2024. Plants there are registered with MFDS through their own government, for two years at a time under Korea’s Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control (October 2026). Only plants your government has notified to Korea can export, and each shipment needs a government health certificate.
Quarantine by the National Fishery Products Quality Management Service (NFQS) covers live aquatic animals and uncooked, uncut frozen or chilled abalone, oysters and shrimp, as of October 2026. Frozen octopus, squid, cuttlefish, fish cake and salted jellyfish are not on that list. For Korean labels, see the guide to Korea’s labeling and origin rules.
These rules are summarized as of October 14, 2026. Confirm the final requirements with your Korean importer, a licensed Korean customs broker or the agency concerned before you ship.
Pre-shipment checklist
- You know the 10-digit HSK code for your product and Thailand’s or Indonesia’s share of it.
- You know the rate under AKFTA, the Korea–Indonesia CEPA and RCEP for that code, and which one your buyer will claim.
- Your certificate of origin matches that agreement.
- Your plant is on your government’s list for Korea, and its MFDS registration is valid on the declaration date.
- The health certificate shows the same plant name and number as the MFDS registration.
- If the product is raw shrimp or a live animal, you hold the original quarantine certificate.
- Your buyer has approved the Korean label text.
Who are you competing with in Korea?
In most of these products, the competitor is Vietnam, not another Thai or Indonesian plant. Vietnam supplied 82.4% of Korea’s frozen webfoot octopus imports and 70.9% of its frozen cuttlefish (other species) imports in Jan–Sep 2026, at 0% duty. Counting live and chilled webfoot octopus too, Vietnam held 75.9% and Thailand 12.7% in the same period. See the Vietnam seafood export guide.
In fish cake, China is second to Thailand with 22.4% of the code, at a lower price per kg; in crab sticks, India is second with 23.6%. For squid and cuttlefish as a group, Korea’s largest origins were China (35.0%), Peru (25.7%) and Vietnam (14.2%) in Jan–Sep 2026. The guide to exporting Chinese seafood to Korea and Korea’s surimi imports by origin and price cover those competitors.
See where Thailand ranks among Korea’s suppliers
SEACHING, a Korea seafood trade data platform operated by LINKSUP, Inc. in Busan, shows Korea’s seafood imports by 10-digit HSK code, origin and month, built on Korea Customs Service data.
See how Thailand ranks among Korea’s suppliers of webfoot octopus, fish cake and salted jellyfish, month by month. Open Thailand’s Korea trade page on SEACHING (free sign-up)
FAQ
Is Thai seafood duty-free in Korea under the ASEAN–Korea FTA?
Not all of it. Under Korea’s 2026 tariff schedule, frozen webfoot octopus and salted jellyfish from Thailand pay 0% under AKFTA, but fish cake, crab sticks and frozen cuttlefish (other species) pay 5%. Frozen squid in some codes is under a 22% adjustment tariff in 2026.
Should an Indonesian exporter use the Korea–Indonesia CEPA or AKFTA?
It depends on the HSK code. For crab sticks (1604.20.4010), the CEPA rate is 2.1% against 5% under AKFTA in 2026. For fish cake and frozen cuttlefish (other species), the CEPA has no line, so AKFTA (5%) is the option.
Why does Korea buy so much Thai frozen octopus?
Korea took 81.3% of Thailand’s frozen octopus exports in 2023, according to UN Comtrade. On the Korean side, webfoot octopus (jukkumi), a small octopus with its own HSK code, made up about 93% of frozen octopus imports from Thailand in Jan–Sep 2026. Thailand held 13.2% of that code, behind Vietnam.
Sources and method
- UN Comtrade public API, Thailand exports to World and Korea by HS 6-digit code, 2023, retrieved October 14, 2026
- UN Comtrade public API, Indonesia exports to World and Korea by HS 6-digit code, 2023, retrieved October 14, 2026
- UN Comtrade public API, seafood totals for Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, 2023, retrieved October 14, 2026 (reporter codes 764, 704 and 360)
- SEACHING, Korea’s seafood imports by HSK code and origin, built on Korea Customs Service data, Jan–Sep 2026 vs Jan–Sep 2025, queried October 15, 2026
- Korea Customs Service, tariff schedule by HSK code, 2026 rates, file registered February 11, 2026
- Korea Customs Service FTA portal, agreements in force, checked October 1, 2026
- Lao Trade Portal, amended ASEAN–Korea certificate of origin (Form AK), checked October 14, 2026
- MFDS foreign food facility registration guide, October 2024, checked October 14, 2026
- National Law Information Center, Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control, Article 5 and Enforcement Rule Article 27, checked October 14, 2026
- NFQS import quarantine guide, checked October 14, 2026
- Method: Korea’s share of an exporter’s world exports uses exporter-reported FOB values (UN Comtrade, 2023). Korea-side figures are SEACHING analysis of Korea Customs Service import data (CIF, Jan–Sep 2026 vs Jan–Sep 2025): HS chapter 03 plus HS 1603–1605, with seaweed (HS 1212) and salt excluded. Code totals cover all origins; origin figures cover origins with at least US$100,000 of imports in the 12 months to September 2026. Unit values are import value divided by weight.
