SEOUL (APP): South Korea’s export grew for the seventh successive month in April due to strong global demand for locally-made tech products and automobiles, government data showed Wednesday.
Export, which accounts for about half of the export-driven economy, rose 13.8 percent over the year to 56.26 billion US dollars in April, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
The outbound shipment kept an upward trend since October last year. The daily average export gained 11.3 percent to 2.45 billion dollars last month.
Import expanded 5.4 percent from a year earlier to 54.73 billion dollars in April, sending the trade surplus to 1.53 billion dollars. The trade balance stayed in black for the 11th consecutive month since June last year.
Of the country’s 15 major export items, 13 products saw an increase in outbound shipment.
Semiconductor shipment mounted 56.1 percent over the year to 9.96 billion dollars in April, maintaining an upward momentum for the sixth straight month.
S. Korea’s online shopping grows in March
South Korea’s online shopping grew in March due to high demand for food, travel, culture, car accessories and e-coupon services, statistical office data showed Wednesday.
Shopping in cyberspace stood at 20.45 trillion won (14.7 billion US dollars) in March, up 9.1 percent compared to the same month of last year, according to Statistics Korea.
Transaction of agricultural, livestock and fishery products in cyberspace soared 26.6 percent, while demand for food and beverage advanced 13.3 percent in the cited month.
Online demand for travel and transport services spiked 20.8 percent, and the online transaction of e-coupon services gained 14.0 percent amid the spreading trend to provide gifts such as coffee and cake through e-coupons.
Online purchase of car accessories skyrocketed 79.3%, while those for culture and leisure services, cosmetics and furniture expanded in double digits.
Mobile shopping through smartphones increased 9.6 percent over the year to 15.08 trillion won (10.9 billion dollars) in March.