KR Prefix and Three-Letter Location Code
Republic Of Korea uses the country prefix KR. A typical UN/LOCODE combines KR with a three-letter location identifier, such as KRPUS for Busan or KRULS for Ulsan.
Seaports in Republic Of Korea: Port Codes, Throughput & Regional Guide (2026)
Republic Of Korea has 75 ports and terminals indexed in the Ecer Freight database and remains a major Northeast Asian maritime gateway for container, automotive, energy and industrial cargo.
Explore Republic Of Korea port codes, principal gateways, regional cargo roles and current ocean-freight planning considerations.
Republic Of Korea Port Overview
Republic Of Korea combines a global transshipment hub at Busan with major industrial, automotive, petrochemical and regional cargo gateways along the southern, western and eastern coasts. Indexed coverage and international throughput rankings are separate measures.
75
Republic Of Korea ports & terminals indexed in our database
Ecer Freight database · Nov 2026
24.55M
Busan container throughput in 2025, approximately +4.5% year on year
Busan Port Authority · 2025
3.56M
Incheon container throughput in 2025, approximately +5.0% year on year
Incheon Port Authority · 2025
2.00M
Gwangyang container throughput in 2025, approximately +3.0% year on year
Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority · 2025
How many seaports does Republic Of Korea have?
Republic Of Korea has 75 seaports and terminals indexed by Ecer Freight in its Nov 2026 first-party database snapshot.
What is the largest container gateway in Republic Of Korea?
Busan is the leading container gateway in Republic Of Korea and is represented in the indexed sample by KRPUS and KRBUS. It serves both Korean origin cargo and substantial Northeast Asian transshipment flows.
Which regions handle the main freight flows?
The principal freight clusters are the southeast industrial belt around Busan, Ulsan and Pohang, the western gateway around Incheon and Pyeongtaek, and the southern industrial cluster around Gwangyang and Mokpo.
Top Republic Of Korea Ports by Container Throughput
The table presents selected high-activity ports from the Ecer Freight sample. World rank and throughput figures refer to container activity and should not be confused with the 75-port indexed coverage count.
Selected container gateways, 2025 indicative statistics
Regional Port Clusters in Republic Of Korea
Southeast Industrial Coast
The southeast cluster supports global container services, shipbuilding, automotive production, machinery and energy cargo.
Key southeast ports
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Busan | KRPUS | Busan / — | Container gateway and transshipment |
| Busan | KRBUS | Busan / — | Container and general cargo |
| Ulsan | KRULS | Ulsan / — | Petrochemicals, automobiles and energy |
| Ulsan | KRUSN | Ulsan / — | Industrial and liquid bulk cargo |
| Pohang | KRPOH | Pohang-si / — | Steel, project and industrial cargo |
| Chinhae | KRCHI | Chinhae / — | Regional and industrial cargo |
Western Metropolitan Gateway
Western ports connect the Seoul metropolitan market and central manufacturing areas with China, Japan and regional feeder networks.
Key western ports
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inchon | KRICH | Inchon / — | Container, consumer and metropolitan cargo |
| Inchon | KRINC | Incheon / — | Container and short-sea services |
| Pyeongtaek | KRPTK | Pyeongtaek / — | Automotive, ro-ro and general cargo |
| Daesan/seosan | KRTSN | — / — | Petrochemical and liquid bulk cargo |
| Taesan | KRDAS | Changwon-si / — | Industrial and bulk cargo |
| Gyeongin | KRGIN | — / — | Regional coastal and metropolitan cargo |
Southern Industrial Coast
The southern cluster serves steel, petrochemical, machinery, shipbuilding and regional island logistics.
Key southern ports
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kwangyang | KRKAN | Kwangyang / — | Container, steel and industrial cargo |
| Yosu | KRYOS | Yeosu / — | Petrochemical and liquid bulk cargo |
| Mokpo | KRMOK | Mokpo / — | Ro-ro, automobiles and regional cargo |
| Geoje | KRKJE | Geoje / — | Shipbuilding and project cargo |
| Masan | KRMAS | Masan / — | General and regional cargo |
| Kwangyang | KRKUY | Jeju / — | Island and regional supply cargo |
East Coast and Island Ports
East-coast and island facilities support bulk commodities, fisheries, domestic distribution, tourism supply chains and selected project cargo.
Key east-coast and island ports
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donghae | KRTGH | Donghae / — | Bulk, cement and regional cargo |
| Mukho | KRMUK | Donghae / — | Coastal and regional cargo |
| Pohang | KRKPO | Pohang / — | Steel and bulk cargo |
| Gunsan | KRKUV | Gunsan / — | Automotive, grain and general cargo |
| Cheju | KRCJU | Cheju / — | Island supply and passenger-related cargo |
| Jeju | KRCHA | Jeju / — | Island distribution and regional cargo |
Republic Of Korea Port Codes and UN-LOCODEs
UN/LOCODEs help carriers, forwarders, customs systems and logistics platforms identify transport locations. A code should be checked against the exact facility and service string before booking.
City-Level and Terminal-Level References
A city-level code may cover multiple terminals, anchorages or port areas. Carrier schedules can use a terminal-specific operational name, so the city, terminal, voyage and service string should be aligned.
How to Verify a Port Code
Verify the location in the UNECE UN/LOCODE framework and compare it with the current Ecer Freight Port Codes directory before issuing shipping instructions.
Shipping from Republic Of Korea: Main Trade Lanes
Transit times are indicative port-to-port planning ranges. Actual schedules depend on carrier rotation, transshipment, equipment, seasonality, congestion, customs clearance and final delivery location.
Republic Of Korea to North America
Transpacific services connect Korean manufacturing and consumer-goods origins with the United States and Canada.
Republic Of Korea to Europe
Asia–Europe services support machinery, electronics, automotive components, chemicals and consumer products.
Republic Of Korea to Southeast Asia
Regional services move industrial inputs, electronics, automotive cargo and consumer goods throughout Southeast Asia.
Republic Of Korea to Northeast Asia
Short-sea and regional networks connect Korean ports with China, Japan, Taiwan and nearby manufacturing centers.
Sources and Methodology
This page separates Ecer Freight indexed coverage from official port statistics and uses indicative planning language where figures or schedules may be revised.
- Ecer Freight Ports Database — first-party index of 75 Republic Of Korea ports and terminals, snapshot November 2026.
- Republic Of Korea Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries — national maritime policy, port and cargo-statistics reference.
- Busan Port Authority — Busan container and port-performance reference for 2025.
- Incheon Port Authority — Incheon port and container-performance reference for 2025.
- Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority — Gwangyang port and cargo-performance reference for 2025.
- UNECE — UN/LOCODE naming and location-code reference.
Republic Of Korea Port FAQ
How many seaports does Republic Of Korea have?
Republic Of Korea has 75 seaports and terminals indexed by Ecer Freight in the November 2026 database snapshot. This is an indexed coverage figure, not a claim that every facility has the same commercial or container role.
What is the busiest port in Republic Of Korea?
Busan is generally the busiest container port in Republic Of Korea. The Ecer Freight sample includes Busan under KRPUS and KRBUS; the exact code required depends on the carrier, terminal and booking system.
What does a Republic Of Korea port code look like?
Republic Of Korea UN/LOCODEs begin with KR and are followed by a three-letter location identifier. Examples in the indexed sample include KRPUS for Busan, KRICH for Inchon and KRULS for Ulsan.
Which regions are important for Republic Of Korea ocean freight?
The southeast industrial coast, western metropolitan gateway, southern industrial coast and east-coast and island clusters are the main planning groups. Busan, Incheon, Kwangyang, Ulsan, Pohang and Pyeongtaek serve different cargo profiles.
Are the throughput figures official?
The headline port-performance figures are presented as 2025 indicative statistics based on port-authority or government references where available. Ecer Freight’s 75-port figure is a separate first-party database count reviewed in November 2026.
How current are the Republic Of Korea port details?
The page is reviewed quarterly. Vessel schedules, terminal assignments, blank sailings, congestion, port restrictions and transit times remain subject to confirmation at the time of booking.
How can a shipper request a Republic Of Korea freight quote?
Shippers can compare current full-container and less-than-container-load options through the FCL and LCL rate tools. A quote normally requires origin, destination, commodity, packing details, weight, volume, equipment and target dates.
Editorial note: Port codes and indexed coverage are maintained from the Ecer Freight database, while throughput and cargo indicators are checked against available official port or government references. Statistics are updated when reliable annual releases become available, and operational information is reviewed quarterly.
Ecer Freight · Seaports in Republic Of Korea: Port Codes, Throughput & Regional Guide (2026) · Data reviewed quarterly · Port Codes · Ports by Country · Contact