Korea’s ethylene exports plummeted with the start of the Iranian conflict. The restructuring will result in further declines.

Korea’s Ministry of Industry approved support for the plan submitted by Yeochun NCC, Lotte Chemical, Hanwha Solutions and DL Chemical, to combine naphtha cracking, ethylene production and downstream operations, including polyethylene and polypropylene, over the next three years. (Hydrocarbon Processing).

In 2025 Korea exported 2.1 million tons of ethylene monomer, up 11% from 2024. Through June 2026, below, exports totaled 673,000 tons, down 31% from the first half of 2025, mainly on lower trade with China.

From International Trader Publications’ Ethylene World Trade Analysis, a continuously updated analysis of trade by country and region developed from the latest statistics of all reporting countries.