Wonju City Achieves $1.2 Billion in Exports Last Year, Ranks No. 1 in Provincial Exports

Wonju City Achieves Five Consecutive Years of Export Growth
Stable Export Structure Centered on Key Markets
Including the United States, China, and Mexico

Wonju City in Gangwon Province achieved an annual export volume of 1.2 billion dollars last year, solidifying its status as the top exporting city within Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province.

Panoramic view of Wonju City Hall. Provided by Wonju City.

Since reaching its first 1 billion dollars in exports in 2022, Wonju City has continued to see export growth for five consecutive years, recording 1 billion dollars in 2023, 1.1 billion dollars in 2024, and 1.2 billion dollars in 2025.

By product category, last year's export performance showed balanced growth across major items, with noodle products increasing by 20.4% year-on-year, medical electronic devices by 10.1%, and cosmetics by 35.1%, all contributing to the overall increase in exports.

In particular, the cosmetics sector, which had been relatively sluggish the previous year, showed signs of recovery and contributed to the expansion of exports. For cosmetics, increased demand in overseas markets, along with Wonju's excellent manufacturing capabilities and competitive product quality, were analyzed as positive factors.

By country, as of the cumulative total in December 2025, the United States was the largest export destination, followed by China, Mexico, Japan, and Vietnam. The United States maintained its position as the top export market, accounting for about 21% of total exports, while trade with major Asian countries such as China, Japan, and Vietnam also remained stable. In addition, exports to emerging markets such as India (51 million dollars, up 44.9%) and Malaysia (37 million dollars, up 32.6%) expanded, making visible progress in diversifying export destinations and reducing dependence on specific countries.

Exports to the Middle East also saw a marked increase. According to K-STAT trade statistics from the Korea Customs Service (cumulative as of December 2025), Wonju City's exports to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reached 27 million dollars, a 61.3% increase from the previous year, showing rapid growth. This indicates that efforts to diversify export markets, such as operating UAE market development teams and implementing tailored export support policies, are yielding tangible results in the Middle East region.

Wonju City plans to continue diversifying its export items and markets, and to strengthen the global competitiveness of local companies by operating overseas market development teams and supporting export policies for small and medium-sized enterprises.

A Wonju City official stated, "Exports are a key driver of regional economic growth and job creation," adding, "We will continue to expand the export base with the goal of reaching 1.5 billion dollars in exports by 2030."