South Korea's cosmetics exports this year are set to top the record-breaking figures posted in 2017.

The Korea Customs Service said Thursday that exports of South Korean beauty products recorded two-point-one billion U.S. dollars in the first five months of this year, a near 37 percent jump from the same period last year.

Exports to China rose 37-point-four percent on-year to one-point-four-seven billion dollars over the five-month period, after Beijing's retaliation against Seoul's deployment of the U.S.-led THAAD missile defense system eased.

Hong Kong, the U.S., Japan and Thailand were the other major importers of South Korean beauty products.

The agency said South Korea's cosmetics industry has enjoyed robust growth in overseas sales, thanks to the expansion of the Korean Wave through social networking services.