While South Korea may not be the largest chemical producer by landmass, the sheer scale of its industry is staggering, producing 11.5 million tons of ethylene annually and generating over 152 trillion KRW in revenue from a powerhouse sector driven by giants like LG Chem and Lotte Chemical.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, South Korea's petrochemical production capacity for ethylene reached 11.5 million tons per year, accounting for 4.5% of global capacity.
- The production volume of propylene in South Korea was 7.8 million tons in 2023, with a 3.2% year-on-year increase driven by new cracker expansions.
- South Korea's benzene production hit 5.9 million tons in 2021, supported by integrated refining-petrochem complexes like Ulsan.
- In 2022, the total revenue of South Korea's chemical industry reached 152 trillion KRW, marking a 8.5% increase from 2021.
- LG Chem reported chemical segment sales of 28.4 trillion KRW in 2023, 12% YoY growth.
- Lotte Chemical's total revenue was 25.7 trillion KRW in 2022, with petrochemicals at 60% share.
- In 2023, South Korea's chemical exports totaled 84.2 billion USD, up 2.1% from 2022.
- Ethylene polymers exports from Korea reached 12.5 million tons valued at 18.7 billion USD in 2022.
- Polypropylene exports 8.9 million tons in 2023, mainly to China.
- South Korea chemical industry employed 128,000 workers in 2022.
- LG Chem chemical division had 22,500 employees in 2023.
- Lotte Chemical workforce 10,200 in petrochemicals 2022.
- Chemical industry R&D expenditure totaled 4.2 trillion KRW in 2022, 2.8% of sales.
- LG Chem invested 1.8 trillion KRW in chemical R&D in 2023.
- Lotte Chemical R&D budget 0.65 trillion KRW in 2022.
South Korea's large, growing chemical industry is vital to the global supply chain.
Employment and Labor
- South Korea chemical industry employed 128,000 workers in 2022.
- LG Chem chemical division had 22,500 employees in 2023.
- Lotte Chemical workforce 10,200 in petrochemicals 2022.
- SK Innovation chemicals employed 8,900 in 2023.
- Hanwha Solutions chemical staff 7,500 in 2022.
- HDC Hyundai Chemical 5,200 employees in 2023.
- KPIC employed 3,800 in chemicals 2022.
- GS Caltex chemical operations 4,100 workers 2023.
- Doosan Chemical 2,900 employees 2022.
- Kolon Industries chemical workforce 3,200 in 2023.
- Hyosung Chemical 4,500 staff in 2022.
- OCI Company 2,100 chemical employees 2023.
- Lotte Advanced Materials 3,700 workers 2022.
- KCC Corporation chemical division 2,400 in 2023.
- Young Poong Chemical 1,800 employees 2022.
- Female employees in chemical industry 28% or 36,000 in 2023.
- Average salary in Korean chemicals 65 million KRW annually in 2022.
- R&D personnel in chemicals 15,200 in 2023.
- Labor accidents rate 0.45 per 100 workers in 2022.
- Training hours per employee 48 hours annually in 2023.
- Unionized workforce 42% in large chemical firms 2022.
- Youth employment under 30: 18% of total in 2023.
- Overseas employees 12,000 in chemical multinationals 2022.
- Contract workers 25% of total workforce in 2023.
- Turnover rate 4.2% in chemical sector 2022.
- Senior managers 8,500 in industry 2023.
- Engineers/technicians 65,000 in 2022.
- Production workers 45,000 direct in plants 2023.
- Administrative staff 9,500 in 2022.
- Safety training completion 98.5% in 2023.
Employment and Labor Interpretation
While South Korea's chemical industry, with a titanic workforce of 128,000, is a serious, union-fortified, and safety-conscious juggernaut led by giants like LG Chem and Lotte Chemical, its landscape reveals a complex, human ecosystem where youth are still a minority, women are under-represented at 28%, and a quarter of the workforce remains on precarious contracts, all while striving to keep its impressive 0.45 accident rate low and its R&D pipeline flowing with 15,200 innovators.
Exports and Imports
- In 2023, South Korea's chemical exports totaled 84.2 billion USD, up 2.1% from 2022.
- Ethylene polymers exports from Korea reached 12.5 million tons valued at 18.7 billion USD in 2022.
- Polypropylene exports 8.9 million tons in 2023, mainly to China.
- Chemical imports into South Korea were 62.4 billion USD in 2023, with naphtha at 40%.
- PTA exports 5.6 million tons in 2022, 70% to Southeast Asia.
- ABS resins exports valued 3.2 billion USD in 2023.
- Synthetic rubber exports 1.8 million tons in 2022.
- PVC exports from Korea 1.5 million tons in 2023 to Vietnam.
- Styrene polymers exports 2.1 billion USD in 2022.
- Methanol exports 1.2 million tons in 2023.
- PET resin exports 3.4 million tons in 2022.
- Engineering plastics exports grew 15% to 1.9 billion USD in 2023.
- Naphtha imports 25.6 million tons in 2023, cost 18.9 billion USD.
- Ethylene imports minimal at 0.2 million tons in 2022, mostly specialty.
- Benzene imports 1.1 million tons in 2023 for aromatics deficit.
- Propylene imports 0.8 million tons in 2022.
- Butadiene imports 0.3 million tons in 2023.
- Toluene imports 0.9 million tons valued 0.7 billion USD in 2022.
- Paraxylene imports negligible post-2020 expansions.
- Polyurethane materials exports 1.4 billion USD in 2023.
- Polycarbonate exports 0.7 million tons in 2022.
- Specialty chemicals exports up 10% to 12 billion USD in 2023.
- Chemical trade surplus 21.8 billion USD in 2022.
- Exports to China 45% of total chemicals in 2023.
- Exports to Vietnam 12% share in 2022.
- EU chemical imports from Korea 4.5 billion USD in 2023.
- US imports 3.1 billion USD Korean chemicals in 2022.
- India chemical imports from Korea 2.8 billion USD in 2023.
Exports and Imports Interpretation
South Korea’s chemical sector is a formidable export machine, cleverly converting massive imports of cheap naphtha into a diverse, value-added polymer empire that dominates Asia while comfortably sitting on a trade surplus large enough to make any economist smile.
Production and Capacity
- In 2022, South Korea's petrochemical production capacity for ethylene reached 11.5 million tons per year, accounting for 4.5% of global capacity.
- The production volume of propylene in South Korea was 7.8 million tons in 2023, with a 3.2% year-on-year increase driven by new cracker expansions.
- South Korea's benzene production hit 5.9 million tons in 2021, supported by integrated refining-petrochem complexes like Ulsan.
- In 2023, the output of polyethylene (PE) in Korea totaled 4.3 million tons, with high-density PE comprising 55% of the total.
- Polypropylene (PP) production in South Korea reached 3.1 million tons in 2022, boosted by Lotte Chemical's facilities.
- PVC production volume in Korea was 1.8 million tons in 2023, with 70% exported to Asia-Pacific markets.
- ABS resin production in South Korea amounted to 1.2 million tons in 2022, led by LG Chem and Kumho Petrochemical.
- Toluene production reached 2.4 million tons in 2021, primarily from naphtha cracking processes.
- Xylene isomers (PX, OX) production totaled 4.1 million tons in 2023, with paraxylene at 3.2 million tons for PTA feedstock.
- Methanol production capacity in Korea stands at 1.5 million tons annually as of 2024, with new green methanol projects underway.
- Styrene monomer production was 2.9 million tons in 2022, up 4% due to demand from PS and ABS sectors.
- Butadiene production volume reached 1.1 million tons in 2023 from oil cracking byproducts.
- PTA (purified terephthalic acid) production in South Korea was 6.7 million tons in 2022, world's third largest.
- MEG (monoethylene glycol) output totaled 2.2 million tons in 2023, mainly for PET resin.
- Ammonium sulfate production from caprolactam byproducts was 0.8 million tons in 2021.
- Phenol production reached 0.95 million tons in 2022, used in phenolic resins and bisphenol A.
- Acetone output was 0.62 million tons in 2023, byproduct of phenol cumene process.
- Synthetic rubber production volume hit 1.4 million tons in 2022, with SBR at 0.9 million tons.
- Caprolactam production for nylon 6 was 0.45 million tons in 2023.
- Adipic acid production totaled 0.32 million tons in 2021 for nylon 66.
- MDI (methylene diphenyl diisocyanate) capacity reached 0.8 million tons in 2024.
- TDI production was 0.15 million tons in 2022 for polyurethane foams.
- Polycarbonate production volume 0.55 million tons in 2023, led by Samsung SDI.
- Engineering plastics output reached 1.1 million tons in 2022.
- Masterbatch production capacity 0.4 million tons annually as of 2023.
- Bio-based chemical production started at 0.1 million tons in 2024 pilot plants.
- Hydrogen peroxide production 0.35 million tons in 2022 for bleaching and electronics.
- Caustic soda output from chlor-alkali plants 1.2 million tons in 2023.
- Ethylene oxide production 0.75 million tons in 2021.
- VCM (vinyl chloride monomer) production 2.1 million tons in 2022.
Production and Capacity Interpretation
South Korea has meticulously engineered itself into a petrochemical powerhouse, where the sheer volume of molecules—from ethylene to paraxylene—is less a list of products and more the chemical blueprint for its entire industrial economy.
R&D and Investment
- Chemical industry R&D expenditure totaled 4.2 trillion KRW in 2022, 2.8% of sales.
- LG Chem invested 1.8 trillion KRW in chemical R&D in 2023.
- Lotte Chemical R&D budget 0.65 trillion KRW in 2022.
- SK Innovation chemicals R&D 0.72 trillion KRW 2023.
- Hanwha Solutions R&D spend 0.41 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Patents filed by Korean chemical firms 2,450 in 2023.
- Green chemistry projects funded 0.3 trillion KRW by government in 2022.
- Bio-chemical R&D investment 0.25 trillion KRW in 2023.
- New plant capex 12 trillion KRW announced in 2024.
- LG Chem Daesan expansion investment 2.5 trillion KRW for specialty chemicals.
- Lotte Ulsan cracker upgrade 3.2 trillion KRW in 2023.
- SK Geo Centric Yeosu investment 1.9 trillion KRW for naphtha.
- Hanwha Yeocheon complex expansion 1.1 trillion KRW 2022.
- HDC Hyundai BDO plant 0.8 trillion KRW investment.
- KPIC caprolactam tech upgrade 0.4 trillion KRW 2023.
- Battery chemicals R&D 1.2 trillion KRW in 2022 by majors.
- Carbon capture pilot investments 0.15 trillion KRW 2023.
- Hydrogen chemical projects 0.9 trillion KRW planned 2024-2030.
- Recycling tech R&D 0.22 trillion KRW in 2022.
- AI in chemical process R&D grants 0.1 trillion KRW 2023.
- FDI in chemicals 2.8 billion USD in 2022.
- Venture capital in chem-tech startups 0.35 trillion KRW 2023.
- University-industry collab projects 450 in 2022.
- R&D intensity 3.1% of sales in 2023.
R&D and Investment Interpretation
While Korea's chemical giants are clearly betting billions on "green" futures and AI-driven labs, one can't help but notice their research pennies (a mere 3.1% of sales) are vastly outmuscled by their brawny capital investments in massive new plants, suggesting they're hedging their bets between inventing tomorrow and building a bigger today.
Revenue and Sales
- In 2022, the total revenue of South Korea's chemical industry reached 152 trillion KRW, marking a 8.5% increase from 2021.
- LG Chem reported chemical segment sales of 28.4 trillion KRW in 2023, 12% YoY growth.
- Lotte Chemical's total revenue was 25.7 trillion KRW in 2022, with petrochemicals at 60% share.
- SK Innovation chemicals revenue hit 18.2 trillion KRW in 2023.
- Hanwha Solutions chemical sales 15.6 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Hyundai Chemical revenue 9.8 trillion KRW in 2023, focused on basic chemicals.
- KPIC (Kumho Petrochemical) sales 7.2 trillion KRW in 2022.
- S-Oil chemical products revenue 4.5 trillion KRW in 2023.
- GS Caltex petrochemical revenue 6.1 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Doosan Chemical sales 3.9 trillion KRW in 2023 for engineering plastics.
- Kolon Industries chemical revenue 5.4 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Samsung SDI chemical materials sales 2.8 trillion KRW in 2023.
- OCI Company Ltd revenue 4.2 trillion KRW in 2022, polysilicon focus.
- Tongyang Life & Materials chemical sales 1.9 trillion KRW in 2023.
- Hyosung Chemical revenue 3.5 trillion KRW in 2022 for PET and nylon.
- Daehan Synthetic Fiber sales 2.1 trillion KRW in 2023.
- Wooree Chemical industrial materials revenue 1.7 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Hankuk Carbon chemical composites sales 1.2 trillion KRW in 2023.
- LG MMA sales 0.9 trillion KRW in 2022 for acrylic sheets.
- SB AC Corp (formerly Daelim) revenue 2.4 trillion KRW in 2023.
- Lotte Advanced Materials sales 4.8 trillion KRW in 2022.
- KCC Corporation chemical revenue 3.2 trillion KRW in 2023.
- HDC Clay chemical sales 1.1 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Nan Ya Plastics Korea sales 0.8 trillion KRW in 2023 JV.
- Young Poong Chemical revenue 1.5 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Dongkuk P&P chemical sales 2.0 trillion KRW in 2023.
- Seegene biotech chemicals revenue 0.6 trillion KRW in 2022.
Revenue and Sales Interpretation
While South Korea's chemical giants are busy turning crude oil into billions, the true alchemy lies in their relentless diversification, proving that in this high-stakes industry, the only formula for survival is to be everything to everyone, from petrochemicals to plastics to the polysilicon powering our screens.
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