[Yonhap Photo]
SEOUL -- Helped by the popularity of Hallyu (Korean cultural wave) abroad, South Korea's cosmetics trade surplus hit a record high of more than 4.2 trillion won ($3.7 billion) in 2017.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said in a statement on Thursday that the trade surplus of cosmetics products in 2017 was up 8.5 percent from a year ago.
Despite a diplomatic feud over the deployment of an American defense missile system in South Korea last year, China imported $1.9 billion worth of beauty products, followed by Hong Kong with $1.2 and the United States with $400 million.
Last year's cosmetics exports to Vietnam increased 96.9 percent on-year to $140 million and Indonesia imported beauty products worth $24 million, up 60.8 percent from a year ago.
