AsemconnectVietnam - According to the calculations from General Department of Customs data, Vietnam's imports from South Korea in August and the first eight months of 2026 showed strong growth compared to the same period last year, despite a slight month-on-month decline.

Specifically, the total import value in August 2026 reached over US$8.68 billion; while this represented a 3.94% decrease from July 2026, it marked a significant 63.59% increase compared to August of 2025.
For the first eight months of 2026, the total value of imports from this market surpassed US$60.12 billion, a 54.07% rise year-on-year. This surge indicates a robust recovery in demand for raw materials and components supporting domestic export-oriented industrial production chains.
Computers, electronic products, and components were the largest contributors to import turnover. In August, this category reached US$6.58 billion, accounting for over 75% of total imports from South Korea. Although this figure dipped slightly by 4.09% from the previous month, it represented a massive 91.22% increase compared to August of 2025, bringing the eight-month total to US$43.35 billion (up by 79.96% year-on-year).
The boom in the technology supply chain and the expansion of assembly capacity in Vietnam by global corporations were the primary drivers behind this exceptional growth. Another bright spot was the petroleum product group, which reached $333.6 million in August, a surge of 50.41% compared to July of 2026 and a 93.35% increase year-on-year.
The total imports of petroleum products over the first eight months totaled $2.24 billion, up 72.55% year-on-year. Additionally, other production inputs, such as machinery, equipment, tools, and spare parts ($3.33 billion, up by 7.89%) and chemicals ($476.19 million, up 68.3%), maintained positive growth momentum during this eight-month period.
Conversely, some product groups recorded declines; for instance, the imports of iron and steel totaled $761.66 million over the eight months, down by 9.64% year-on-year (with August alone seeing a sharp drop of 41.17% compared to August 2025). Similarly, the imports of plastic raw materials fell by 4.99% (to $1.38 billion), and various types of fabrics decreased by 5.1% (to $879.91 million).
The import turnover from South Korea is forecast to maintain its growth momentum through the end of the year, driven by the peak production cycle for consumer goods and electronics ahead of the global holiday shopping season. Furthermore, the continued active disbursement of FDI from South Korea is expected to drive a sharp rise in demand for imported machinery, components, and energy. The total import turnover from South Korea for the full year of 2026 is likely to set a new record, reaffirming its position as one of Vietnam's leading trade partners for production inputs.
Source: VITIC