South Korea imported 284,045 tons of beef between January and June 2026, a record for a first half since comparable records began in 1994, according to data from the country’s Customs Service. The volume was 9.9% above the 258,430 tons imported in the same period of 2025.
The record pace was established from the beginning of the year. Imports reached 87,162 tons in January, the highest monthly volume in the historical series, driven by a sharp increase in purchases from Australia and the United States. Although imports eased between February and March, they accelerated again from April and intensified in June as the market sought to get ahead of the safeguard threshold for Australian beef.
Australia was the leading supplier during the first half, with 149,050 tons, equivalent to 52.5% of total imports, compared with 47.0% a year earlier. The United States, which reached a zero tariff this year under the KORUS Free Trade Agreement, shipped 120,441 tons and accounted for 42.4% of imports, down from 45.9% in the first half of 2025.
New Zealand exported 8,906 tons, down 9% year on year, while Canada shipped 4,032 tons, a decline of 44%. Both countries reduced shipments due to lower availability from domestic production, Expana reported.
