Recent official data released by South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy shows that the country's petrochemical product exports in January experienced a slight year-on-year decline of 1.5%, amounting to $35.2 billion. Meanwhile, semiconductor exports continued their strong performance, unaffected by fluctuations in the petrochemical sector, and emerged as a key driver of foreign trade. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy pointed out that the global oversupply of petrochemical products is the primary reason for the decline in export prices of related products, which in turn has dragged down export revenue. As a major global exporter of aromatic products, South Korea holds a significant share in the international market for core petrochemical products such as benzene, toluene, and styrene. The recent export decline is directly influenced by the overall supply-demand dynamics of the industry.

In stark contrast to the slight downturn in the petrochemical sector, South Korea's overall foreign trade performance in January was impressive. Driven by strong semiconductor exports, the country's total exports in January surged by 33.9% year-on-year to $658.5 billion, while imports grew by 11.7% to $571.1 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $87.4 billion. However, the overall benefits of foreign trade have not extended to the petrochemical industry.

It is reported that South Korea's petrochemical industry is currently undergoing a restructuring and adjustment phase with government support. Affected by persistently low industry profitability and the dual impact of global oversupply, South Korean petrochemical companies reached a consensus in August 2025 to reduce production capacity. Currently, industry restructuring efforts are steadily progressing to better align with market supply-demand dynamics and improve the sector's operational conditions.