Korea-Bangladesh Trade Structure and Promising Export Items 2025
Korea-Bangladesh Trade: 2025 Status and Structure
Trade between South Korea and Bangladesh has continued to expand steadily. As of 2024, bilateral trade totaled approximately $2.4B, with Korean exports to Bangladesh at $1.8B and imports at $0.6B. Korea mainly exports raw materials, machinery, and electronics, while importing finished goods such as garments and footwear, reflecting a clearly complementary trade structure.
This article provides a detailed HS code-based review of bilateral trade patterns and identifies 10 promising export items for 2025, outlining market size, competitive conditions, and entry strategies for each category.
$2.4B
Bilateral Trade
2024 basis
$1.8B
Korean Exports
+3.2% YoY
$0.6B
Korean Imports
Led by garments and footwear
+$1.2B
Trade Balance
Korean surplus
#34
Export Ranking
As a Korean export market
10
Promising Items
New picks for 2025
Korean Export Structure to Bangladesh
Korea's exports to Bangladesh are centered on four core groups: textile materials, steel, chemical products, and machinery. In particular, synthetic fibers, fabrics, and dyes used in Bangladesh's ready-made garment industry account for more than 40% of total exports. This structure has expanded steadily alongside the growth of Bangladesh's RMG sector.
Top 10 Korean Export Items to Bangladesh (2024)
Rank
HS Code
Item
Export Value
Share
Growth
1
HS 54
Synthetic filament yarn
$320M
17.8%
+4.5%
2
HS 55
Synthetic staple fibers
$210M
11.7%
+2.1%
3
HS 72
Steel semi-finished products
$185M
10.3%
+6.8%
4
HS 39
Plastics and synthetic resins
$145M
8.1%
+3.2%
5
HS 84
General machinery
$130M
7.2%
+8.5%
6
HS 60
Knitted fabrics
$110M
6.1%
+1.8%
7
HS 29
Organic chemicals
$95M
5.3%
+5.4%
8
HS 85
Electrical equipment
$85M
4.7%
+12.3%
9
HS 32
Dyes and pigments
$72M
4.0%
+2.5%
10
HS 73
Iron and steel articles
$65M
3.6%
+7.1%
Korean Import Structure from Bangladesh
Korea's imports from Bangladesh are overwhelmingly concentrated in garments, both knit and woven. More than 75% of total imports consist of light industrial finished goods such as apparel, footwear, and bags, reflecting Bangladesh's competitiveness in low-cost manufacturing. The country's role as an OEM and ODM production base for Korean fashion brands continues to expand.
Top 5 Korean Imports from Bangladesh (2024)
Rank
HS Code
Item
Import Value
Share
Note
1
HS 61
Knitted apparel
$280M
46.7%
Knitwear
2
HS 62
Woven apparel
$120M
20.0%
Shirts and pants
3
HS 64
Footwear
$42M
7.0%
Sports and casual shoes
4
HS 42
Bags and wallets
$28M
4.7%
Fashion accessories
5
HS 63
Other textile products
$22M
3.7%
Bedding and towels
10 Promising Export Items for 2025
01
Textile Machinery (HS 8445-8452)
Demand for automated cutting machines, sewing automation equipment, and knitting machines is rising quickly as Bangladesh's RMG industry moves toward automation and upgrading. Korean products hold a quality advantage over many Chinese alternatives, leaving room to expand share in an annual market exceeding $800M.
02
Power Equipment and Transformers (HS 8504)
Demand for transformers, switchboards, and power cables is growing in line with the government's power infrastructure expansion plans. Export opportunities are also widening for inverters and grid-connection equipment tied to renewable energy, especially solar power.
03
Steel Structures (HS 7308)
The steel structure market is growing at more than 15% annually on the back of rising demand for high-rise buildings, factories, and bridges. Korean suppliers are recognized for technical strength and quality, which is advantageous in large project tenders.
04
Medical Devices (HS 9018-9022)
Demand for diagnostic equipment, surgical devices, and medical consumables is increasing rapidly as public healthcare infrastructure investment expands and private hospitals grow. Korean medical devices benefit from a positive price-to-quality perception in the market.
05
Auto Parts (HS 8708)
Bangladesh's automotive market is growing at more than 12% annually, and parts imports are rising alongside local CKD assembly. Korean brands' strong recognition in the market supports promising opportunities for parts exports.
06
Cosmetics and Household Products (HS 3304-3307)
The K-beauty wave is spreading in Bangladesh as well. With middle-class expansion and social media influence, demand for skincare and makeup is growing at more than 20% annually, while Korean products maintain a strong premium image.
07
Food Processing Machinery (HS 8438)
Demand is rising for modernization and automation across Bangladesh's food processing industry. Equipment related to rice processing, dairy, edible oils, and seafood processing is seeing wider adoption, and Korean machinery enjoys a strong reputation for technical reliability.
08
IT Equipment and Solutions (HS 8471-8473)
Demand for servers, network equipment, and security solutions is climbing sharply under the Digital Bangladesh 2041 vision. Opportunities are emerging in both the government procurement market and private-sector digital transformation projects.
09
Plastic Raw Materials and Products (HS 3901-3926)
Demand for plastic raw materials such as PE, PP, and PET is expanding steadily to support packaging, construction materials, and household goods production. Korean petrochemical products remain competitive on quality and supply reliability.
10
Agricultural Machinery and Irrigation Equipment (HS 8432-8433)
Demand for tractors, cultivators, irrigation pumps, and post-harvest equipment is increasing under agricultural modernization policies. Korean products can differentiate themselves through durability and service networks, especially in the small and mid-sized machinery segment.
Korea-Bangladesh trade has substantial growth potential because the industrial structures of the two economies are strongly complementary. Korea supplies intermediate goods and capital goods, while Bangladesh provides low-cost finished products, creating a mutually beneficial trade pattern. In 2025, the strategic focus should move beyond RMG inputs toward new export categories such as power equipment, medical devices, and IT hardware. A concluded CEPA could provide the structural basis for bilateral trade to expand toward the $5B level over time.