K-beauty drives rise in South Korea air cargo volumes

According to a report by aviation and logistics strategy consultancy Aevean, South Korea shipped 57,000 tonnes of beauty and personal care products abroad by air in 2026 so far, up 47% year-on-year. Europe overtook Asia as the largest air market for Korean beauty products, with volumes up 104% to about 19,000 tonnes. North America was the second growth engine, up 65%, driven mainly by the US; Asia Pacific was nearly flat at +9%, while Latin America, though small, more than doubled with growth of 124%.

Korean Air said cargo revenue in the second quarter totalled KRW 1.5419 trillion ($1 billion), up KRW 486.5 billion (US$329 million) year-on-year. The airline attributed the surge in air cargo demand primarily to global AI investments and strong K-beauty exports. It said it achieved profitability through flexible route operations, including non-scheduled charter flights and securing high-yield cargo.

South Korea exported $11.4 billion worth of cosmetics in 2025, a record high, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, placing it second globally behind France at $24.3 billion and ahead of the US at $10.8 billion. Beauty exports reached $7 billion in the first half of 2026, up 27.3% year-on-year. The US became Korea's top cosmetics export destination in 2025, with sales rising 15% to $2.2 billion. Among the top 10 destinations in 2025, exports to Poland surged 111.7% and to the UAE 67.2%. US demand held up despite the 15% tariff imposed on Korean imports last year, which covers some cosmetics.