Exports Reach $18.6 Billion, Up 13.7% Year-on-Year
Imports Rise to $19.7 Billion, Up 6.5%
In April, exports continued their recovery trend, showing double-digit growth mainly in semiconductor and automobile items.
According to the Korea Customs Service on the 11th, exports from the 1st to the 10th of this month amounted to $18.6 billion, a 13.7% increase compared to the same period last year.
The average daily export value, considering the number of working days, rose by 0.3% to $2.19 billion. The number of working days from the 1st to the 10th of this month was 8.5 days, one day more than the 7.5 days during the same period last year.
Among major export items, semiconductors recorded $3.395 billion, up 32.0%, accounting for 18.3% of total exports. Passenger cars (11.9%), automobile parts (10.5%), and ships (693.6%) also drove export growth. On the other hand, petroleum products (-3.9%), computer peripherals (-14.1%), and home appliances (-22.4%) decreased.
By country, most showed increases, including China (8.8%), the European Union (EU, 30.6%), Vietnam (14.3%), and Japan (0.7%), while exports to the United States slightly decreased by 0.6%. The top three export countries (China, the United States, and the EU) accounted for 49.5% of the total.
Imports from the 1st to the 10th reached $19.7 billion, up 6.5%. Imports increased mainly in crude oil (10.2%), semiconductors (15.5%), and machinery (10.3%). Passenger car imports also surged by 41.7%. Conversely, energy-related items such as gas (-19.1%), petroleum products (-7.3%), and coal (-25.4%) generally declined, resulting in an overall 1.2% decrease in total energy imports compared to the previous year.
By country, imports from China (4.7%), the United States (2.3%), Japan (15.1%), and Australia (19.9%) increased, while the EU showed the largest decline at -18.7%.
With imports exceeding exports, the trade balance recorded a deficit of $1.1 billion.
Starting this month, as the Trump administration's tariff policy takes full effect, it is expected that South Korean exports will gradually come under its influence. President Donald Trump announced the previous day that mutual tariffs on countries other than China would be suspended for 90 days and a basic tariff of 10% would be imposed.
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