Korean Media: Surge of 178.7%! "Made in China" Conquers South Korea's Electric Vehicle Market!
On September 16, Korean media outlet Asia Economic Daily published an article stating that Chinese automakers are rapidly expanding their presence in the South Korean market, extending from complete vehicles to batteries and automotive components. This expansion is primarily driven by the fact that Chinese-made electric vehicles now account for one-third of the South Korean market share, while imports of Chinese auto parts have reached record highs. Analysts believe China is leveraging its competitive edge across the entire automotive supply chain—from batteries and components to finished vehicles—to enter the South Korean market.
According to import-export trade statistics released by the Korea International Trade Association, South Korea imported automotive parts worth $1.43905 billion from China in the first half of this year, a 15.3% increase compared to $1.24794 billion during the same period last year. During this time, products from China accounted for 53.8% of South Korea’s total auto parts imports, ranking first.
The volume of Chinese auto parts imported into South Korea has been growing significantly year after year. From $1.7 billion in 2021 to an estimated $2.477 billion in 2025—a rise of about 45%. This year’s growth rate is even faster; if this trend continues, China’s auto parts imports into South Korea are expected to hit a record high.
This surge in component imports aligns with China’s increasing influence in the finished vehicle market.
According to data from the Korea Automotive Mobility & Travel Industry Association, the number of newly registered Chinese-made electric vehicles in South Korea reached 69,513 units in the first half of this year, marking a 178.7% increase compared to the same period last year. Chinese electric vehicles now make up 35.0% of all newly registered EVs in South Korea—meaning over one-third of domestically sold electric vehicles in the country are made in China.
Chinese automobiles, led by electric vehicles, are rapidly increasing their share in South Korea’s imported car market. In the first half of this year, South Korea imported 79,444 Chinese vehicles, a 127.8% year-on-year increase. By origin country, Chinese cars accounted for 41.2% of the import market, surpassing Germany to take the top spot. Compared to just 23.5% a year ago, Chinese vehicle import share rose by 17.7 percentage points within a single year.
The entry of Chinese electric vehicles into the South Korean market is mainly driven by Tesla’s China-produced models and BYD. The Tesla Model Y and Model 3, manufactured at Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory, have been widely entering the South Korean market. Meanwhile, sales of other Chinese-made models—including entry-level EVs from BYD and Polestar—are also on the rise.
Original Source: toutiao.com/article/1876478702833668/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.