Wood Industry News from South Korea

The United Kingdom stayed the largest buyer as its share rose 11 pp, France's purchases grew more than twofold and Japan's fell 42%

China remained the largest destination as its share gained 1.1 pp, while India grew most at 14.9% and Indonesia's shipments shrank most at 18.8%.

The United States remained the largest destination as its share dipped 0.1 pp, while New Zealand's purchases grew more than fourfold and those to the U.S. fell 9.5%.

China remained the largest buyer as its share slipped 2.7 pp, India's shipments surged 94.8%, and Taiwan's dropped 5.5%.

Housing permits, a guide to future construction, fell 44.3% to 25,938 units; January–September starts were up 1% from a year earlier.

An amendment in force since October 22 lets the Korea Forest Service give national forest timber to state bodies and forestry public institutions for wood construction and research.

Housing permits, a guide to future construction, rose 25.8% to 21,607 units; January–August starts were up 11% from a year earlier.

Imports from South Korea fell to 3,258 metric tons in the year to June 2025, or 2.5% of EU consumption.

Vietnam remained the largest supplier as its share rose 8.3 pp; Canada had the largest decline, with shipments down 61%.

Vietnam remained South Korea’s largest supplier as its share fell 7.6 pp; China’s shipments rose 25% and Vietnam’s fell 25%

Imports of wood chips to South Korea rose 3%.

South Korea remained the largest buyer as its share rose 1 pp; Peru's purchases rose 1.5-fold and U.S. shipments fell 62%.

China stayed the largest destination as its share fell 4.2 pp; Turkey's purchases rose more than twofold and Germany's fell 9.9%.

China took 62% of Chile's wood pulp exports, United Arab Emirates shipments rose more than threefold and Japan's fell 13%.

Thailand gained 12 percentage points of South Korea's hardwood chips imports; South Korea imported 307 thousand tonnes.

Gains in China, Taiwan, Mexico, Pakistan, South Korea and Hong Kong offset only about 4% of the U.S. volume decline.

India took 73% of shipments.

Funding will support low-carbon wood technologies, mass timber housing, Indigenous participation and export diversification while ministers review Task Force recommendations

Japan and the United States were the largest destinations, accounting for about 25% and 23% of volume respectively.

Japan became the largest destination after U.S. duties hit Indonesia’s shipments.