Mid-Sized Company Exports Hit Record $35.7 Billion in Q2

Korea Federation of Middle Market Enterprises Announces "2026 Mid-Sized Company Export Trends for the Second Quarter"

Mid-sized companies' export volume and growth rate reached record highs in the second quarter of this year, marking their best performance since statistics were first compiled in 2022.

The Korea Federation of Middle Market Enterprises announced its “2026 Mid-Sized Company Export Trends for the Second Quarter” on October 21, reporting that exports by mid-sized companies totaled $35.75 billion, up 11.9% from the same period a year earlier. This was a 14.5% increase from the previous quarter, and exports exceeded $30 billion for the fifth consecutive quarter. Mid-sized companies accounted for 13.0% of total exports in the second quarter, with 2,061 mid-sized companies exporting goods.

By industry, exports by mid-sized manufacturing companies rose 10.9% year on year to $31.19 billion, while those by non-manufacturing companies increased 18.9% to $4.56 billion. In manufacturing, exports increased in industries such as primary metals ($3.36 billion, up 62.2%), medical and precision instruments ($1.04 billion, up 29.6%), and chemicals ($3.63 billion, up 29.3%). They declined in industries such as machinery and equipment ($2.25 billion, down 19.2%) and rubber and plastics ($920 million, down 5.2%). In non-manufacturing, exports rose in both services ($210 million, up 53.3%) and wholesale and retail ($4.23 billion, up 39.7%).

By product, biohealth exports ($1.05 billion, up 77.9%) posted the largest year-on-year increase, following a similar rise in the first quarter. Exports also increased for petrochemicals ($2.2 billion, up 24.2%), home appliances ($340 million, up 18.9%), computers ($60 million, up 18.4%), petroleum products ($500 million, up 16.7%), and semiconductors ($7.46 billion, up 10.8%).

Exports increased in seven of the 10 major export regions. Exports to Oceania ($630 million, up 29.2%), Latin America ($1.91 billion, up 26.0%), ASEAN ($9.02 billion, up 20.3%), and India ($1.2 billion, up 18.5%), among other regions, grew from the same period a year earlier.

Kim Hyun-cheol, full-time vice chairman of the Korea Federation of Middle Market Enterprises, said, “According to the Customs Service’s ‘September Export and Import Report,’ exports in September reached $120 billion for the first time ever, and forecasts are emerging that annual exports could reach $1 trillion this year.” He added, “To sustain the record-high export performance of mid-sized companies, we will work closely with the government and the National Assembly and do our utmost to create an effective legal, institutional, and policy environment that supports stronger global competitiveness among mid-sized companies.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.