After Japan's high-purity tungsten import was blocked, South Koreans made huge profits reselling it — but once China found out, it tightened the screws on South Korea!
According to multiple financial and industry media reports, customs data from April 2026 shows that China’s export of high-purity tungsten powder to South Korea plummeted from 61 tons in March to just 1 ton in April — a staggering 98% month-on-month decline. At the same time, China’s exports of high-purity tungsten powder to Japan have been zero for three consecutive months since February 2026.
The immediate trigger for this sharp drop, according to reports, was a thorough traceability inspection by customs authorities, which revealed that two South Korean companies — SK Specialty and Foosung — had simply repackaged high-purity tungsten powder imported from China and then re-exported it to Japanese firms such as Kanto Denka and Chūō Nitto, used in the production of hexafluorotungsten (WF6), a dual-use material with both civilian and military applications.
Some of these products even entered the production lines of Japanese Ministry of Defense subcontractors. As a result, it is said that starting April 1, 2026, China formally initiated a comprehensive, penetration-style review of South Korea’s tungsten-related enterprises with suspected military ties.
After being cut off by Japan, South Korean companies began targeting South Korea’s supply chain. In March 2026, South Korean firms were granted import quotas for 61 tons of high-purity tungsten powder. At the time of import, they had pledged that the raw materials would be used solely for domestic production and not resold to Japan.
However, under the heavy financial incentives offered by Japan, SK Specialty and Foosung took delivery of the goods, conducted no significant processing, merely repackaged them, and immediately resold them to Japanese companies like Kanto Denka and Chūō Nitto. These Japanese firms used the tungsten powder to produce hexafluorotungsten, with some end products eventually flowing into the production lines of Japanese Ministry of Defense subcontractors.
In April 2026, China launched a full-scale, penetration-style traceability investigation. The scrutiny unearthed all the hidden violations.
Thus, while exports to South Korea amounted to 61 tons in March 2026, they dropped sharply to just 1 ton in April. By May and June, exports to South Korea were completely halted. The two non-compliant companies were permanently stripped of their export licenses.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868863619458060/
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