South Korea’s copper scrap imports dropped by 4.2pc and aluminium scrap imports rose by 4.2pc in April 2020 from a year ago amid the global spread of COVID-19 creating demand-supply disruptions.
South Korea’s imports of aluminium scrap rose in April on high demand from secondary aluminium alloy makers manufacturing and selling ADC12 to China. Demand from China for the alloy is high at present due to tight scrap supply as well as limited supply of the alloy from India and Pakistan where manufacturing has come to a halt due to lockdowns.
Top exporting countries for aluminium scrap remained the same as last year. But exports from traditional copper scrap supplier countries like the UAE, Philippines, Malaysia and Turkey dropped in the period due to COVID-19 related lockdowns. Demand from South Korea remained healthy as it continued to operate during the period.
South Korea scrap imports
| Apr-20 | Apr-19 | % change | |
| Copper scrap | 27,979 | 29,221 | -4.2 |
| Major exporters | |||
| US | 7,606 | 6,437 | 18.2 |
| Saudi Arabia | 2,160 | 2,026 | 6.6 |
| Indonesia | 1,282 | 724 | 77 |
| Aluminium scrap | 83,954 | 80,577 | 4.2 |
| Major exporters | |||
| US | 25,218 | 24,470 | 3 |
| Japan | 11,849 | 10,303 | 15 |
| Thailand | 9,934 | 9,003 | 10.3 |