Top 12 Major Ports in South Korea: Gateways of a Maritime Powerhouse

Explore the top 12 major ports in South Korea—from Busan and Incheon to Yeosu–Gwangyang and Ulsan. Learn how they drive global trade, energy security, car exports, cruise growth, and green innovation, with fresh stats, case studies, and future trends.

If you picture South Korea’s economy as a living organism, its ports are the beating heart. From the container super-hub of Busan to the energy gateways of Ulsan and Yeosu–Gwangyang, South Korea’s seaports connect advanced manufacturing, petrochemicals, electronics, and the country’s world-leading car industry to the world. In 2024, Korean trade ports collectively handled a record 31.73 million TEU, signalling a resilient rebound in global logistics and Korea’s position among the world’s most connected maritime nations.

This guide profiles the top 12 major ports in South Korea, blending the data professionals look for with the stories that bring these places to life—how terminals adapt to mega-ships, how Ro-Ro quays move hundreds of thousands of vehicles, and how coastal cities are reinventing themselves through offshore wind and hydrogen.

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Why South Korea’s ports matter in modern maritime operations

South Korea consistently ranks among the top container-handling countries worldwide, anchored by Busan’s global role and supported by a network of specialised ports handling liquid bulk, steel, vehicles, and passengers. In 2024, Busan hit a new all-time record of roughly 24.4 million TEU, powered by surging transshipment volumes. Incheon reached a record of about 3.56 million TEU, reflecting steady growth in gateway cargoes for the Seoul capital region. National volumes, in turn, climbed to an all-time high despite geopolitically induced supply-chain turbulence.

Beyond containers, South Korea’s ports safeguard energy security (refineries/LNG in Ulsan and Yeosu), enable industrial logistics (POSCO steel at Pohang), and power car exports through Ro-Ro hubs like Pyeongtaek–Dangjin and Mokpo, with national vehicle exports hitting historic value levels in 2024.

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The top 12 major ports in South Korea (north to south, west to east)

1) Busan — Asia’s transshipment titan

Busan is the #1 port in Korea and one of the world’s busiest. It blends a historic North Port with the ultramodern Busan New Port, where automated yards, AGVs, and digitalisation anchor capacity growth. In 2024, Busan handled around 24.4 million TEU (a new record), with transshipment volumes climbing strongly; national plans outline a multi-billion-dollar programme to transform Busan into a future “megaport,” including a unified cluster with nearby Jinhae capable of berthing 30,000-TEU-class vessels.

Recent operational upgrades include a paperless e-EIR system across terminals, boosting gate efficiency and cutting administrative costs, and ongoing automation expansions at the New Port. New Port already handles the majority of Busan’s container volume.

What it means for shippers: unrivalled network connectivity (1,000+ global ports served) and deep transshipment options on Asia–Europe and Trans-Pacific loops—plus growing digital transparency for inland drayage and truckers.

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2) Yeosu–Gwangyang — the energy-industry workhorse

The Yeosu–Gwangyang complex is a national heavyweight for liquid bulk and bulk cargo, serving petrochemicals, steel, and energy industries while also handling close to two million TEU yearly. The authority is pushing decarbonisation (including CII-related studies) and SME innovation programmes to green and diversify the port ecosystem.

Why it matters: the complex moves enormous volumes of feedstocks and refined products that keep Korea’s manufacturing running, and it’s increasingly pivotal for offshore wind logistics and hydrogen value chains across the country’s south coast.

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3) Incheon — the capital region’s container gateway

Serving the Seoul metropolitan area, Incheon balances container growth, ferry trades with China, and cruise activity. The port has set new highs, with steady year-on-year growth and record monthly throughputs.

Why it matters: for time-sensitive consumer, e-commerce, and electronics flows into the nation’s largest consumption market, Incheon’s proximity and frequent services reduce inland trucking distances and costs.

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4) Ulsan — Korea’s liquid-bulk capital (and cars)

Ulsan is synonymous with refining, petrochemicals and automotive, hosting some of Korea’s largest industrial complexes. While it handles a modest container volume compared to Busan or Incheon, its defining statistic is liquid bulk—well over 100 million tons annually across crude, products, and chemicals.

Why it matters: energy inputs and chemical outputs pass through Ulsan at scale; the port’s big-data and digital tools aim at safer, cleaner operations in one of Asia’s densest industrial waterfronts.

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5) Pyeongtaek–Dangjin — Korea’s Ro-Ro powerhouse

South Korea is a top global car exporter, and Pyeongtaek–Dangjin is the country’s #1 vehicle import/export port for well over a decade, supporting Hyundai–Kia and a network of OEMs and suppliers. The port’s data show occasional dips in ferry containers but continued strength in finished vehicle exports.

Why it matters: If you track Ro-Ro flows, this is your bellwether. It connects major auto plants with North America, Europe, and the Middle East, while ferry/short-sea links underpin intra-Asia distribution. Nationally, car export values reached historic highs in 2024.

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6) Pohang — steel and heavy-industry gateway

Home to POSCO, Pohang is built for heavy bulk: iron ore, coking coal, steel products, and industrial equipment. The port’s handling capacity is among the nation’s highest, with dedicated terminals across Shinhang, Guhang, and Yeongilman Bay.

Why it matters: for anyone moving raw materials for steelmaking or exporting heavy finished products, Pohang’s purpose-built infrastructure and drafts are the East Sea workhorse.

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7) Daesan (Seosan) — petrochemical stronghold on the West Sea

Daesan ranks among Korea’s leaders by cargo volumes and hosts the Hanwha TotalEnergies integrated refining and petrochemicals platform producing fuels and plastics (e.g., polypropylene, styrene, PX, EVA). Strategically located on the Yellow Sea, it is a critical node for feedstock imports and chemical exports.

Why it matters: Daesan underpins supply chains from packaging to automotive plastics, while policy support for the petrochemicals sector in Yeosu/Ulsan/Daesan signals continued investment through the cycle.

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8) Gunsan — industrial and auto logistics on Korea’s west coast

Gunsan supports industrial complexes across Jeonbuk, handling mixed bulks, machinery, and vehicles. Regional authorities highlight its role in production and employment; the port has a history of substantial car exports and remains positioned as a flexible West Sea gateway.

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9) Mokpo — Ro-Ro specialist and offshore wind staging

On Korea’s southwest coast, Mokpo New Port concentrates on Ro-Ro and multi-purpose cargo. Recent totals show strong flows of export cars and steel—and a growing role as a staging base for offshore wind components.

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10) Masan/Changwon (incl. Jinhae) — container and project cargo with a Busan link

Part of the greater Busan–Gyeongnam industrial belt, Masan/Changwon (with Jinhae) blends feeder containers, breakbulk, and project cargo serving machinery, shipbuilding equipment, and defence industries. The planned Busan–Jinhae integration under the megaport blueprint will deepen specialisation and capacity across the bay.

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11) Donghae–Mukho — East Sea multipurpose gateway

Facing Japan across the East Sea, Donghae–Mukho moves cement, aggregates, grains, and project cargo, with ferry connections and space for future energy logistics. While smaller than the “big six,” its location makes it a useful relief and regional node for northeastern supply chains.

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12) Jeju — Korea’s cruise capital in the making

After the pandemic pause, Jeju has roared back. Cruise passenger numbers jumped dramatically in 2024 with hundreds of port calls, and in 2025 Jeju launched semi-homeport (“interport”) operations, targeting a further rise in cruise visitors. The island is upgrading CIQ processes and terminal facilities to handle multiple ships per day.

Why it matters: cruise calls support local SMEs (tours, F&B, retail) and help diversify port revenues, while new procedures reduce turnaround times and congestion.

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Key technologies and developments driving change

Automation and smart terminals. Busan New Port is expanding automation (including AGVs) and fully digitised gate/yard flows; the e-EIR programme has removed paper from equipment interchange across terminals, with the vast majority of truckers onboarded to the app.

Megaship readiness and capacity expansion. The Busan “megaport” strategy envisions dozens of berths, extended quay lines, and the ability to serve 30,000-TEU-class ships, plus very large increments of additional capacity—future-proofing Korea’s hub status.

Energy transition at industrial ports. Ulsan and Yeosu–Gwangyang are piloting decarbonisation studies, alternative fuels, and efficiency upgrades; hydrogen and offshore wind logistics are spreading across the south coast, while Daesan continues as a petrochemical platform serving global demand with efficiency improvements.

Cruise and tourism rebound. Jeju’s cruise interport model aims to lock in multi-ship days with faster CIQ, lifting spend per visitor and smoothing seasonality risks for local economies.

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Challenges and pragmatic solutions

Geopolitical shocks & Red Sea rerouting. Long-haul schedule disruptions stress transshipment hubs like Busan. Korea’s answer has been capacity resilience (new berths), data sharing, and incentives to stabilise feeder networks.

Decarbonisation pressure. IMO 2050 goals and the IMO CII framework raise the bar. Korean ports are using data-led CII studies, shore-side efficiency, and automation to cut dwell and emissions intensity—while preparing for future green fuel corridors.

Landside bottlenecks. As TEUs climb, truck appointments, rail windows, and barge frequencies must keep pace. Korea’s push toward fully digital gate processes (e-EIR, trucker apps) is a template for cutting turn times and idling.

Economic cyclicality in heavy industry. Steel and petrochemicals face swing cycles. Policy measures to support hub regions (Yeosu, Ulsan, Daesan) can bridge downturns while enabling green upgrades that raise long-term competitiveness.

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Case studies and real-world applications

Busan’s e-EIR = minutes saved at scale. Eliminating paper EIRs across terminals sounds mundane, but for tens of thousands of trucks, every avoided queue or office stop compounds into significant time-and-fuel savings, lower emissions, and more predictable SLAs for shippers.

Yeosu–Gwangyang’s CII analytics. By analysing thousands of container-ship calls against CII, the authority is identifying priority lanes and ship segments where shore-side coordination (berth windows, tug scheduling, power management) can improve ratings—evidence-based decarbonisation rather than slogans.

Jeju’s cruise interport play. With hundreds of annual calls and streamlined CIQ on the way, Jeju shows how procedural reforms can almost instantly unlock throughput, bringing measurable gains in local GDP and employment without megaproject capex.

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Future outlook

Hub-and-spoke 2.0. With Busan’s expansion and data-sharing platforms, Korea is doubling down on North Asia transshipment—but with smarter visibility to reduce congestion risk.

Green industrial waterfronts. From Ulsan to Daesan, expect efficiency-first emissions cuts, more offshore wind staging (Mokpo), and pilot hydrogen/ammonia logistics linking ports and industrial parks.

Cruise recovery and diversification. Jeju’s surge shows a durable consumer appetite. Secondary calls (Busan, Incheon) will benefit from coordinated scheduling and shore-excursion capacity.

Balanced regional growth. Pyeongtaek–Dangjin (Ro-Ro), Pohang (steel), and Yeosu–Gwangyang (energy/containers) form a redundant network that spreads risk and keeps Korea’s export machine humming—even when major lanes are disrupted.

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FAQs

Which is the largest port in South Korea?
Busan, with around 24.4 million TEU in 2024 and a long-term plan to become a “megaport” capable of 30,000-TEU ships.

What are the next two biggest container ports?
Incheon (about 3.5–3.6 million TEU) and Yeosu–Gwangyang (roughly 1.9 million TEU), covering the capital region and the southern industrial belt.

Which ports handle most liquid bulk?
Ulsan and Yeosu–Gwangyang dominate crude oil, products, and chemicals, each with vast refinery and petrochemical complexes.

Where do most cars ship out?
Pyeongtaek–Dangjin leads Korea in vehicle import/export, with Mokpo and Ulsan also important.

Is cruise tourism back in Korea?
Yes—Jeju has surged and now uses a semi-homeport model to further grow cruise volumes.

How are Korean ports decarbonising?
Through terminal digitalisation (e-EIR), operational analytics (CII studies), modal shifts, and energy-transition investments linked to national climate goals.

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Conclusion

South Korea’s top ports are more than quays and cranes—they’re precision-engineered ecosystems. Busan orchestrates Asia’s transshipment flows; Incheon powers the consumer and e-commerce heartland; Yeosu–Gwangyang and Ulsan secure energy and chemicals; Pyeongtaek–Dangjin and Mokpo move cars at scale; Pohang feeds the steel value chain; Daesan anchors petrochemicals; and Jeju embodies the cruise rebound.

The throughline is clear: data-driven efficiency + industrial depth + green ambition. That recipe—backed by record national TEU volumes—suggests Korean ports will stay at the centre of Northeast Asian trade while setting practical benchmarks for decarbonisation and service reliability. For students, professionals, and maritime enthusiasts, these ports are a living classroom in how to run a high-performance, future-ready gateway system.

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References (hyperlinked)

• Ministry of Oceans & Fisheries (MOF). Korea’s Ports Handle Record-High Container Volume of 31.73 Million TEUs in 2024 (press release, Jan 24, 2025).

• Government of Korea. Record 2024 Container Volumes: Busan 24.4m TEU; Incheon 3.56m TEU (press release).

• inforMARE. Busan to close 2024 at 24.3m TEU (Dec 17, 2024).

• WorldCargoNews / Lloyd’s List / Kuehne+Nagel briefs on Busan modernisation (Dec 2024).

• Sustainable World Ports. Busan Port Authority – e-EIR rollout (2024).

• Seatrade Maritime. Busan New Port automation & expansion overview.

• Yeosu–Gwangyang Port Authority (YGPA) – Decarbonisation/CII study and SME innovation program.

• Incheon Port Authority (IPA) – throughput updates, 2023–2025.

• Ulsan Port Authority – 2023 container and liquid-bulk statistics.

• Pyeongtaek–Dangjin Port – #1 vehicle import/export status and 2023 trends (Gyeonggi Pyeongtaek Port Corp.).

• Pohang Port – capacity and configuration (MOF/GEM).

• Daesan Port – rank by cargo, platform details (MOF & TotalEnergies/Hanwha).

• Mokpo New Port – 2023 cargo and offshore wind staging.

• Jeju cruise statistics (2023–2025) – Korea JoongAng Daily, The Korea Times, Marine Insight.