South Korea imported 37,631 tons of beef in May, down 4% from April and 4.9% below the same month in 2025, according to the country's trade statistics. The decline was mainly attributed to fewer working days due to several public holidays during the month and tighter supplies from the United States.
Despite the monthly decrease, cumulative imports for the January-May period reached 242,506 tons, up 10.4% year-on-year. The increase was supported by consumer stimulus measures implemented by the South Korean government, including programs aimed at encouraging food purchases.
Australia further strengthened its position as the market’s leading supplier. Australian shipments totaled 19,637 tons in May, virtually unchanged from April (-0.3%) but 13.1% higher than a year earlier, reaching a market share of 52.2%, the highest level recorded in 2026. For the year to date, imports from Australia increased 19.6% to 124,509 tons.
According to Expana, part of this growth was driven by forward buying from importers seeking to secure volumes ahead of the activation of China's safeguard tariff. As a result, Australia has already utilized more than 85% of its annual beef export quota to South Korea, keeping market attention focused on how quickly the remaining allocation will be filled during the second half of the year.
