【South Korea’s Coal-Product Imports Rise 22% m-o-m in July as Summer Power Demand Boosts Thermal Coal Buying】
South Korea’s coal-product imports increased by 22% month on month to 12.54 mnt in July 2026, from 10.24 mnt in June. Bituminous coal imports rose by 27% to 12.04 mnt, accounting for approximately 96% of total coal-product imports, while thermal coal arrivals were estimated at around 8.54 mnt, a multi-month high.
During January-July 2026, South Korea imported 70.2 mnt of coal products, up 19% year on year. Bituminous coal imports increased by more than 11.3 mnt to 66.3 mnt, effectively explaining the overall growth. In contrast, anthracite imports fell by 24% to 1.82 mnt, while petroleum coke imports declined by 12% to 0.28 mnt.
The July increase was mainly supported by peak summer electricity demand and elevated LNG prices.