Presented in descending order, the following list showcases the general product categories under which South Korea earned the highest trade surpluses in 2014.

1. Electronic equipment: US$63.2 billion (25.3% of all product surpluses)
2. Vehicles : $60 billion (24.1%)
3. Ships, boats: $36.6 billion (14.7%)
4. Plastics and plastic articles: $21.1 billion (8.5%)
5. Optical, technical and medical apparatus: $18.1 billion (7.2%)
6. Machinery: $14.3 billion (5.7%)
7. Organic chemicals: $10.1 billion (4%)
8. Rubber and rubber articles: $5.3 billion (2.1%)
9. Knit or crochet fabric: $3.8 billion (1.5%)
10. Articles of iron or steel: $3.8 billion (1.5%)

The above top 10 product categories represent 94.7% of South Korea’s overall product-category surplus subtotal which amounted to $249.2 billion. For that subtotal, 29 of South Korea’s 97 general product categories delivered a surplus in 2014 while the remaining 68 categories incurred deficits.

South Korea enriched its trade surplus amounts at the fastest-pace during 2010 to 2014 under the product categories below.

1. Articles of iron or steel: Up 280.5% since 2010 (US$3.8 billion)
2. Machinery: Up 220% ($14.3 billion)
3. Other base metal goods: Up 161.4% ($798.7 million)
4. Organic chemicals: Up 115.5% ($10.1 billion)
5. Base metal tools, cutlery: Up 87.3% ($1.3 billion)
6. Manmade staple fibers: Up 75% ($1.1 billion)
7. Tobacco: Up 71.9% ($222.4 million)
8. Cereal/milk preparations: Up 53.6% ($229.5 million)
9. Plastics and plastic articles: Up 49.8% ($21.1 billion)
10. Rubber and rubber articles: Up 41.3% ($5.3 billion)

From the perspective of the more detailed 4-digit harmonized tariff system (HTS) level, below are 15 products that enabled South Korea to achieve the highest surpluses in its international trade with other countries.

1. Cars: US$36.7 billion
2. Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $21.6 billion
3. Liquid crystal/laser/optical tools: $21.6 billion
4. Automobile parts/accessories: $20.7 billion
5. Cruise/cargo ships, barges: $20.4 billion
6. Processed petroleum oils: $19.4 billion
7. Phone system devices: $18.1 billion
8. Light vessels, fire boats, floating docks: $16.2 billion
9. Cyclic hydrocarbons: $8.2 billion
10. TV/radio/radar device parts: $6.3 billion
11. Propylene/olefin polymers: $4.5 billion
12. Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated): $4.3 billion
13. Ethylene polymers: $4.1 billion
14. Electric storage batteries: $4 billion
15. Polyacetal/ether/carbonates: $3.9 billion

Among these, cyclic hydrocarbons had the fastest-growing Korean surplus with a 193.7% gain since 2010. In second place were light vessels, fire boats and floating docks up 87.1% while exported Integrated circuits and microassemblies moved ahead in value by 53.7%.

Presented in descending order, the following list shows with which trade partners South Korea earned the highest trade surpluses in 2014.

1. China: US$55.3 billion (25.4% of Korean country-specific surpluses)
2. Hong Kong: $25.5 billion (11.7%)
3. United States: $25.1 billion (11.5%)
4. Vietnam: $14.3 billion (6.6%)
5. Singapore: $12.6 billion (5.8%)
6. Marshall Islands: $8 billion (3.7%)
7. Mexico: $7.6 billion (3.5%)
8. India: $7.5 billion (3.4%)
9. Philippines: $6.7 billion (3.1%)
10. Turkey: $6 billion (2.8%)

The above 10 trade partners represent 77.4% of South Korea’s subtotal surplus of $217.7 billion from the 143 geographic entities with which South Korea demonstrated competitive trade advantages. That subtotal excludes the 78 trade partners with which South Korea incurred trade deficits.

South Korea enriched its trade surplus amounts with the countries below at the fastest-pace during 2010 to 2014.

1. French South Antarctic Terr: Up 28,971% since 2010 (US$4.1 million)
2. Kiribati: Up 14,677% ($27.9 million)
3. Fiji: Up 9,384% ($300.4 million)
4. Angola: Up 3,677% ($1.7 billion)
5. Falkland Islands (Malvinas): Up 1,529% ($114,000)
6. Samoa: Up 1,505% ($32.9 million)
7. Macedonia: Up 1,226% ($7.3 million)
8. Palau: Up 792.3% ($13.9 million)
9. Burundi: Up 691.1% ($2.1 million)
10. Tanzania: Up 688.5% ($290.6 million)

From the above list, South Korea showed intense product supply advantages over trade partners with comparatively small populations and for generally small surplus amounts.

Below are the products that gave South Korea the highest surpluses in its international trade with China.

1. Integrated circuits/microassemblies: US$16.6 billion (30.1% of South Korea’s surplus vs. China)
2. Liquid crystal/laser/optical tools: $14.3 billion (25.8%)
3. Cyclic hydrocarbons: $7.6 billion (13.7%)
4. Processed petroleum oils: $5.2 billion (9.4%)
5. Automobile parts/accessories: $4.5 billion (8.2%)
6. Electric sound/visual signal bells or alarms: $3.5 billion (6.4%)
7. Acyclic hydrocarbons: $2.9 billion (5.3%)
8. Ethylene polymers: $2.1 billion (3.8%)
9. Machinery for making semi-conductors: $1.8 billion (3.3%)
10. Propylene/olefin polymers: $1.8 billion (3.2%)

Among these, semi-conductor machinery had the fastest-growing Korean surplus with [COUNTRY1] posting a 206.1% gain from 2010 to 2014. In second place were automobile parts and accessories up 52.9% followed by cyclic hydrocarbons ahead by 43.1%.

Below are the products that gave South Korea the highest surpluses in its international trade with Hong Kong.

1. Integrated circuits/microassemblies: US$10.5 billion (41.3% of South Korea’s surplus vs. Hong Kong)
2. Phone system devices: $2.2 billion (8.7%)
3. Processed petroleum oils: $2 billion (7.8%)
4. Liquid crystal/laser/optical tools: $825.5 million (3.2%)
5. Computer parts, accessories: $635.7 million (2.5%)
6. Styrene polymers: $470.7 million (1.8%)
7. Gold (unwrought): $463.7 million (1.8%)
8. Silver (unwrought): $458.5 million (1.8%)
9. Printed circuits: $458.2 million (1.8%)
10. Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $434.4 million (1.7%)

Among these, computer parts and accessories had the fastest-growing Korean surplus with Hong Kong posting a 164.5% gain from 2010 to 2014. In second place was unwrought silver up 58.4% followed by phone system devices ahead by 44%.

Below are the products that gave South Korea the highest surpluses in its international trade with the United States.

1. Cars: US$14 billion (55.8% of South Korea’s surplus versus US)
2. Phone system devices: $7.8 billion (31.1%)
3. Automobile parts/accessories: $5.7 billion (22.8%)
4. Miscellaneous iron or steel tubes, pipes: $2 billion (8.1%)
5. Processed petroleum oils: $1.9 billion (7.6%)
6. Computer parts, accessories: $1.8 billion (7.3%)
7. Rubber tires (new): $1.2 billion (4.9%)
8. Light vessels, fire boats, floating docks: $1.2 billion (4.8%)
9. Refrigerators, freezers: $1.1 billion (4.2%)
10. Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products: $1 billion (4%)

Among these, computer parts and accessories had the fastest-growing Korean surplus with the US posting an 87.4% gain from 2010 to 2014. In second place were phone system devices up 51.6% followed by cars ahead by 42.1%.