South Korea’s auto exports rose 8.6% in August, setting a monthly record of $5.5 billion driven by high demand for electric vehicles in Europe and Asia, despite declining US sales.
SEOUL: South Korea’s automobile exports surged 8.6 percent in August 2025 compared to the same month last year, setting a record high for August shipments. The strong performance was powered largely by global demand for electric vehicles, especially across European and Asian markets.
According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the value of auto exports reached $5.5 billion last month, with 200,317 vehicles shipped — a 5.5 percent increase in volume. From January to August, South Korea recorded its highest-ever auto export value at $47.7 billion.
Despite US tariffs of 25 percent on Korean cars, exports grew in nearly all regions except North America. Exports to the European Union surged 54 percent to $792 million in August, with standout growth in Germany (118.7 percent) and the Netherlands (110.3 percent). Exports to Britain and Turkey also jumped significantly, at 115.7 percent and 96.1 percent respectively.
Elsewhere, auto exports to Asia rose by 9.3 percent to $591 million, while shipments to the Middle East climbed 9.8 percent to $369 million. Oceania saw a 20.1 percent increase to $344 million.
By contrast, shipments to North America dropped 8.3 percent year-on-year to $2.55 billion, with exports to the US falling 15.2 percent to $2.1 billion.
Eco-friendly vehicles remained a key growth driver, with exports of electric, hybrid and hydrogen vehicles rising 26.6 percent to 69,000 units. In particular, electric vehicle shipments soared 78.4 percent to 23,000 vehicles, led by the popularity of Kia’s EV3 and Hyundai’s compact Casper Electric, known overseas as the Inster.
