While ink and pixels increasingly shape our world, South Korea's resilient printing industry reached a total output of 6.8 trillion KRW in 2022, proving that innovation and packaging prowess are powering its impressive post-pandemic recovery.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the South Korean printing industry's total output value reached 6.8 trillion KRW, marking a 3.2% increase from 2021.
- The commercial printing segment accounted for 42.7% of the total Korean printing market revenue in 2023.
- Packaging printing services generated 2.9 trillion KRW in South Korea during 2022, up 5.1% year-over-year.
- South Korea produced 1.25 billion sqm of printed packaging in 2022.
- Annual output of newspapers printed in Korea reached 2.8 billion copies in 2022.
- Commercial printing production volume increased 2.9% to 850 million units in 2023.
- South Korea's printing industry employed 85,200 workers in 2022.
- Average annual wage in Korean printing sector was 42.5 million KRW in 2023.
- Printing industry workforce decreased by 1.8% from 2021 to 2022 in Korea.
- Korea exported printed materials worth 1.2 billion USD in 2022.
- Printing machinery imports to South Korea totaled 420 million USD in 2023.
- Top export destination for Korean printed books: USA with 150 million USD 2022.
- AI-driven printing tech adoption rate: 35% of firms in Korea 2023.
- Digital printing press installations grew 22% to 1,200 units in 2022.
- UV LED curing systems in use: 45% of Korean printing firms 2023.
South Korea's printing industry saw steady growth in output and a strong packaging segment.
Employment Data
- South Korea's printing industry employed 85,200 workers in 2022.
- Average annual wage in Korean printing sector was 42.5 million KRW in 2023.
- Printing industry workforce decreased by 1.8% from 2021 to 2022 in Korea.
- Female workers comprised 28.4% of Korea's printing employment in 2022.
- Number of printing firms with over 100 employees: 245 in South Korea 2023.
- Youth employment (under 30) in printing: 15.2% of total workforce 2022.
- Labor productivity per worker in printing: 80 million KRW in Korea 2022.
- Unionized workers in Korean printing industry: 12,500 in 2023.
- Average working hours per week in printing: 44.2 hours in South Korea 2022.
- Skilled printer shortage estimated at 5,200 positions in Korea 2023.
- Part-time workers in printing sector: 18% of total employment 2022.
- Training programs completed by printing workers: 42,000 in 2022 Korea.
- Employee turnover rate in Korean printing: 9.5% annually in 2023.
- Managers and professionals: 22% of printing workforce in 2022.
- Foreign workers in printing industry: 2,150 in South Korea 2023.
- Overtime hours averaged 420 per year per worker in printing 2022.
- Job openings in printing sector: 4,800 unfilled in Q4 2023 Korea.
- Age distribution: 40-49 year olds 35% of printing employees 2022.
- Wage growth in printing industry: 3.1% YoY in 2023 South Korea.
- Blue-collar workers: 62% of total printing employment in 2022.
- Remote work adoption in printing offices: 8% of staff in 2023.
- Injury rate per 100 workers: 2.8 in Korean printing 2022.
- Benefit coverage for printing workers: 92% under national pension 2023.
- New hires in printing: 12,400 in 2022 South Korea.
- Education level: High school graduates 55% of printing workforce 2022.
- Gender wage gap in printing: Women earned 88% of men's wages 2023.
- Printing firms average employees per firm: 6.8 in Korea 2022.
Employment Data Interpretation
South Korea's printing industry is a paradox: it's aging, shrinking, and struggling with a skilled worker shortage, yet it remains a surprisingly productive and unionized bastion of blue-collar work where women still earn less, everyone works long hours, and very few people get to do any of it from home.
Market Overview
- In 2022, the South Korean printing industry's total output value reached 6.8 trillion KRW, marking a 3.2% increase from 2021.
- The commercial printing segment accounted for 42.7% of the total Korean printing market revenue in 2023.
- Packaging printing services generated 2.9 trillion KRW in South Korea during 2022, up 5.1% year-over-year.
- Overall printing industry CAGR in South Korea from 2018-2023 was 2.8%.
- Digital printing revenue in Korea hit 1.2 trillion KRW in 2023, comprising 18% of total printing market.
- South Korea's printing industry market size projected to reach 7.5 trillion KRW by 2027.
- In 2021, newspaper printing contributed 15.4% to Korea's printing sector revenue.
- Book printing market in South Korea valued at 850 billion KRW in 2022.
- Total printing establishments in South Korea numbered 12,450 in 2022.
- Average revenue per printing firm in Korea was 546 million KRW in 2022.
- Printing industry contributed 0.4% to South Korea's GDP in 2022.
- Flexographic printing segment grew by 4.2% in Korea's market in 2023.
- Korean printing market recovery post-COVID reached 95% of 2019 levels by 2023.
- Label printing revenue in South Korea was 720 billion KRW in 2022.
- Total printing services market volume in Korea estimated at 4.1 billion USD in 2023.
- Gravure printing held 28% market share in Korea's packaging printing in 2022.
- South Korean printing industry's R&D investment totaled 180 billion KRW in 2022.
- Commercial color printing output value was 2.1 trillion KRW in Korea 2022.
- Projected market size for sustainable printing in Korea by 2025: 1.1 trillion KRW.
- Korea's printing industry saw 2.5% YoY growth in Q4 2023.
- Total assets of Korean printing firms summed to 4.7 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Offset printing dominated with 55% of Korea's printing market in 2023.
- Printing industry profit margin averaged 4.8% in South Korea 2022.
- E-book impact reduced traditional book printing by 12% in Korea 2018-2023.
- Korean printing market per capita spend was 82 USD in 2023.
- Industrial printing segment revenue: 950 billion KRW in Korea 2022.
- Total printing machinery market in Korea valued at 350 billion KRW 2023.
- Korea's printing industry export contribution to services trade: 1.2% in 2022.
- Digital transformation boosted printing market by 7% in Korea 2022-2023.
- Overall printing revenue forecast for Korea 2024: 7.1 trillion KRW.
Market Overview Interpretation
While the Korean printing industry isn't exactly flexographicizing its biceps with a modest 2.8% CAGR, it remains a quietly determined 6.8 trillion KRW workhorse, finding its new chapter not in fading newspapers but in the robust growth of packaging and a digital printing subplot that's currently 18% of the story and rising.
Production Statistics
- South Korea produced 1.25 billion sqm of printed packaging in 2022.
- Annual output of newspapers printed in Korea reached 2.8 billion copies in 2022.
- Commercial printing production volume increased 2.9% to 850 million units in 2023.
- Book printing output in South Korea totaled 450 million volumes in 2022.
- Packaging printing production capacity utilization rate was 78% in Korea 2023.
- Total printed labels produced in Korea: 15.2 billion units in 2022.
- Flexo printing output volume: 620 million sqm in South Korea 2022.
- Digital printing pages produced: 4.5 billion A4 equivalents in Korea 2023.
- Magazine printing output declined to 180 million copies in Korea 2022.
- Offset printing production: 3.2 billion impressions in South Korea 2022.
- Corrugated box printing output: 1.8 billion units produced in 2023.
- Gravure printing cylinder production: 250,000 units in Korea 2022.
- Annual brochure and catalog printing: 320 million pieces in 2022 Korea.
- Security printing output for banknotes and IDs: 500 million items in 2023.
- Large format printing banners: 12 million sqm produced in Korea 2022.
- Textile printing fabric output: 450 million meters in South Korea 2023.
- Variable data printing jobs: 2.1 million runs completed in 2022.
- 3D printing prototypes in printing firms: 150,000 units in Korea 2023.
- Printed circuit board printing layers: average 8.5 per board, 1.2 billion boards 2022.
- Calendar printing output: 95 million units in South Korea 2022.
- Poster printing volume: 220 million sqm across Korea in 2023.
- Annual invoice and form printing: 8.5 billion sheets in 2022 Korea.
- Wallpaper printing production: 180 million rolls in South Korea 2023.
- Playing card printing output: 450 million decks in Korea 2022.
- Menu and signage printing: 65 million items produced in 2023.
- Total ink consumption for printing: 28,000 tons in South Korea 2022.
- Paper usage in printing industry: 2.1 million tons annually in 2023 Korea.
- Printing press operating hours averaged 1,850 per year per machine in 2022.
Production Statistics Interpretation
Despite the digital age's relentless siege, South Korea's printing industry remains a staggering paper powerhouse, churning out everything from billions of packaging squares and vital security documents to the occasional 450 million decks of cards, proving that ink-stained persistence is anything but obsolete.
Technological Advancements
- AI-driven printing tech adoption rate: 35% of firms in Korea 2023.
- Digital printing press installations grew 22% to 1,200 units in 2022.
- UV LED curing systems in use: 45% of Korean printing firms 2023.
- Automation rate in printing workflows: 62% in large firms Korea 2022.
- 3D printing integration in packaging design: 18% of firms in 2023.
- Inkjet printing technology market penetration: 25% in commercial sector 2022.
- NFC smart printing labels produced: 50 million units with tech in 2023.
- Cloud-based RIP software usage: 40% of digital printers Korea 2022.
- Sustainable bio-inks R&D investment: 45 billion KRW by top firms 2023.
- Robotic plate changers installed: 1,500 units across Korea 2022.
- Variable data printing software licenses: 2,800 active in 2023.
- Nano-printing resolution achieved: 10 microns average in labs 2022.
- AI color matching accuracy: 98% in 55% of advanced firms Korea 2023.
- Hybrid offset-digital presses: 320 units operating in 2022.
- Blockchain for print supply chain traceability: Piloted by 12 firms 2023.
- High-speed inkjet lines speed: Average 150m/min in new installs 2022.
- AR-enhanced printed media apps downloads: 2.5 million in Korea 2023.
- Waterless offset printing adoption: 22% market share in 2022.
- IoT sensors on presses: 75% coverage in top 100 firms 2023.
- Quantum dot inks for displays printing: R&D output 10 patents 2022.
- Predictive maintenance AI usage: Reduced downtime 28% in 40 firms 2023.
- Flexible electronics printing lines: 15 operational in Korea 2022.
- Holographic printing security features: Used in 30% banknotes 2023.
- MIS/ERP systems integration: 68% of mid-size printers Korea 2022.
- Eco-solvent inks VOC reduction: 92% compliance in new printers 2023.
Technological Advancements Interpretation
While Korea's printing industry hasn't fully handed the reins to our future AI overlords yet, with only 35% of firms adopting their guidance in 2023, the sector is nevertheless a hive of tech-savvy activity, buzzing with everything from robots changing plates and clouds processing jobs to blockchains tracking supplies and nano-scale precision, all while churning out millions of smart labels and reducing downtime so efficiently that it's almost enough to make a traditional printer nostalgic for the smell of solvent.
Trade and Exports
- Korea exported printed materials worth 1.2 billion USD in 2022.
- Printing machinery imports to South Korea totaled 420 million USD in 2023.
- Top export destination for Korean printed books: USA with 150 million USD 2022.
- Packaging printing exports grew 6.2% to 850 million USD in 2023.
- China supplied 45% of Korea's printing ink imports in 2022.
- Total printing services exports from Korea: 950 million USD in 2022.
- Japan as import source for printing presses: 28% share in 2023 Korea.
- Korean printed labels exported 120 million USD worth in 2022.
- Trade balance for printing industry: Deficit of 250 million USD in 2023.
- EU countries imported 200 million USD Korean security prints in 2022.
- Digital printing equipment imports: 180 million USD from Germany 2023.
- Newspaper printing exports declined 4% to 45 million USD in 2022 Korea.
- Vietnam emerged as top ASEAN destination for Korean printing exports 2023.
- Printing paper imports to Korea: 1.1 million tons valued at 900 million USD 2022.
- FTA impact boosted printing exports by 12% to USA post-KORUS 2022.
- Flexo printing plates imported: 15 million USD from Europe in 2023.
- Korean printing firms' overseas sales ratio: 15% of total revenue 2022.
- Imports of UV inks for printing: 65 million USD in South Korea 2023.
- Printed textiles exports: 75 million USD from Korea in 2022.
- Top exporter firms: 25 companies accounted for 60% of printing exports 2023.
- Trade fairs participation led to 300 million USD printing deals in 2022.
- Canada imported 30 million USD Korean calendars and posters in 2023.
- Import tariff on printing machinery reduced to 0% under WTO in 2022 Korea.
- Export growth rate for digital prints: 8.5% YoY in 2023.
- Australia as destination: 55 million USD printing imports from Korea 2022.
- Total printing-related customs clearance value: 2.8 billion USD imports 2023.
- Re-export of printed goods through Korea: 120 million USD in 2022.
- Singapore hub for Korean printing transshipments: 40 million USD 2023.
Trade and Exports Interpretation
Korea's printing industry is running a bold, high-stakes trade deficit, fueled by expensive, precision German and Japanese machinery and Chinese ink, to meticulously craft everything from bestselling books bound for America to security documents for the EU, all while its own packaging and digital print exports are thriving enough to make even a declining newspaper section cautiously optimistic.
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