SEOUL: Exports of Korean cosmetics to China jumped by more than fifty-percent in the first two months of the year, despite Beijing’s unofficial sanctions on Korean goods. Data released by the Korea Cosmetics Association on Wednesday shows that Korea sold 270-million U.S. dollars’ worth of cosmetics products to China in January and February, or 51.six percent more than in the same period last year. Of all global importers of Korean cosmetics, China accounted for 41.5 percent of Korea’s cosmetics exports in February, an increase of more than 7-percent from January.
Industry experts said that while Korea’s cosmetics exports have been strong, local cosmetics sales have dropped due to a sharp decrease in the number of Chinese visitors in recent weeks. Earlier this month, China ordered its travel agencies to stop selling group tour packages to Korea as part of a series of retaliatory measures against Seoul’s decision to host the U.S. missile defense system THAAD.
