division | Key Contents | Implications |
|---|---|---|
| global economy | Manufacturing rebounds, increasing demand for advanced industrial chemical materials | Imports of semiconductor and battery materials can be expanded. |
| Supply Chain Risk | Supply concentration centered on China and Japan | The need for material diversification |
| environmental regulations | Strengthening carbon and VOC regulations | Rapidly increasing demand for high-performance, eco-friendly additives |
| Exchange rate and logistics costs | Continued upward pressure on import prices | Urgent need to localize high value-added products |
HS 38 is a group of imported items centered on specialty chemicals, additives, and precision materials , and is sensitive to changes in advanced industries.
item | detail |
|---|---|
| HS code | 38 (Miscellaneous Chemical Products) |
| Main subcategories | 3808 (pesticides), 3811 (lubricant additives), 3815 (catalysts), 3824 (specially prepared products), etc. |
| Import volume in 2024 | approximately USD 23.5 billion (+3.9%) |
| industrial structure | Semiconductors and batteries 45%, fine chemicals 30%, agricultural and general chemicals 25% |
3824 (specialty chemicals/additives) accounts for approximately 65% or more, with semiconductor CMP slurry, detergents, and battery additives being key.
ranking | importing country | specific gravity(%) | Features and Risks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | japan | 27 | Slurry and photosensitizer for semiconductors |
| 2 | china | 21 | General purpose additives/chlorine compounds |
| 3 | USA | 18 | High-performance adhesives and additives |
| 4 | germany | 12 | Special catalysts and pigments |
| 5 | france | 7 | Fragrance and industrial preparations |
| etc | 15 | multinational materials company |
The top five countries account for 85% of the market.
Key semiconductor and secondary battery materials rely heavily on Japan and the United States , while China's share of low-cost general-purpose materials is increasing.
division | 2023 Q3 | 2024 Q3 | Increase/decrease (%) | note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| For semiconductor and electronic materials | 811 kt | 854 kt | +5.3 | CMP slurry/cleaner |
| Battery additives | 392 kt | 437 kt | +11.5 | LiBOB, VC, FEC, etc. |
| Industrial adhesives and coatings | 672 kt | 688 kt | +2.4 | Construction and Automobile |
| For agriculture and environment | 281 kt | 283 kt | +0.7 | identity |
Imports of advanced industrial products (semiconductors and batteries) drive overall growth.
Item | 2024 Q1 (USD/t) | 2024 Q2 | 2024 Q3 | QoQ Δ(%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CMP slurry (semiconductor) | 9 450 | 9 680 | 9 890 | +2.2 |
| LiBOB additive | 28 100 | 28 900 | 29 500 | +2.1 |
| Catalysts and pigments | 6 120 | 6 270 | 6 350 | +1.3 |
| General additives (industrial) | 2 480 | 2 520 | 2 550 | +1.2 |
The price increase trend continues, focusing on high-functionality products.
| branch | characteristic | Volatility (0–1) |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Inventory adjustment period, import decline | 0.43 |
| Q2 | Rising manufacturing capacity utilization rates | 0.58 |
| Q3 | Peak demand for semiconductors and batteries | 0.72 |
| Q4 | Year-end order adjustment | 0.55 |
item | detail |
|---|---|
| tariff | Tariff-free access to multiple FTAs and strengthened environmental substance regulations |
| Non-tariff | Chemical substance registration (K-REACH), VOC standards, and import MSDS submission |
| Domestic alternative industries | Domestic production of CMP slurries and cleaners is progressing, and domestic adhesive companies are growing. |
| assignment | High-purity refining technology, low-VOC, and eco-friendly process transition |
characteristic | evaluation | analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon and environmental impact | Medium to high | Wastewater and volatile matter emissions from production processes |
| ESG Risk | middle | Chemical safety and supply chain certification required |
| Net Zero Contribution | award | Contribution to high-efficiency semiconductor and battery materials |
| circular economy | middle | Introducing waste catalyst and waste sludge recycling technology |
importing country | Policy (0–1) | Logistics (0–1) | Trust Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| japan | 0.24 | 0.25 | 0.83 |
| china | 0.39 | 0.34 | 0.68 |
| USA | 0.22 | 0.27 | 0.81 |
| germany | 0.26 | 0.27 | 0.78 |
| france | 0.29 | 0.30 | 0.76 |
Average Trust Index ≈ 0.77 (good) – China risk reduced, sourcing from Japan and the US stable.
industry | Major companies | Imported items | note |
|---|---|---|---|
| semiconductor | Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix | CMP slurry, detergent, and photoresist additive | High proportion of Japanese and American products |
| battery | LG ES, Samsung SDI, SK On | LiBOB, VC, FEC | Electrolyte stabilizing additives |
| Fine chemicals | Hanwha, Lotte, and Dongsung Finetec | Catalysts and additives | Localization in progress |
| Agrochemistry | Nonghyup and BASF Korea | pesticides and herbicides | Import stagnation |
division | Dependency | movement |
|---|---|---|
| Semiconductor and battery materials | high | Continued imports of advanced materials |
| Fine chemical additives | middle | Expansion of local production |
| Agrochemicals and pigments | middle | Stagnant demand |
| Catalysts and environmental | Medium to high | ESG transition trend |
characteristic | Currently (2025 Q3) | Compared to the previous quarter (Δ%) | analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
| ΔImport | +4.2% | ▲0.7 | Expanding imports of advanced industrial products |
| ΔPrice | +1.9% | ▲0.5 | High-performance additives on the rise |
| ΔCountryShare | +0.4% | ▲0.2 | Expanding the weight of Japan and the US |
| Trust Index | 0.77 | = | Good |
| Forecast (3M) | +4.8% | ▲ | Expected increase in semiconductor and battery materials |
Summary: HS 38 imports are showing a moderate upward trend (positive-neutral) .
The expansion of specialty chemical materials for advanced industries is the primary driver, and domestic production and transition to eco-friendly processes are key mid- to long-term strategies.
division | Suggestion | Expected effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Support for R&D of specialized chemical materials for semiconductors and batteries | Self-reliance in advanced industrial materials |
| 2 | Building a chemical substance data sharing platform | Import verification and certification efficiency |
| 3 | Incentives for transitioning to eco-friendly VOC reduction processes | Responding to ESG regulations |
| 4 | Diversified procurement (Japan, US, EU + Southeast Asia) | Supply chain stability |
| 5 | AI-based trade index monitoring system | Advanced unit price and import volume forecasting |
HS 38 (Other Chemical Products) Imports Trade Index – 2025 Q3
ΔImport +4.2% , ΔPrice +1.9% , Trust 0.77 , Forecast (3M) +4.8%
→ Imports continue to increase due to increased demand from advanced industries (semiconductors and batteries), and the transition to domestic production and development of eco-friendly materials are essential.
