SEOUL, Mar 15 (NNN-YONHAP) – South Korea logged a trade surplus in Feb, due to a faster increase in export, customs office data showed today.
Trade surplus stood at 0.8 billion U.S. dollars in Feb, after posting trade deficits of 4.73 billion dollars in Jan and 430 million dollars in Dec last year, according to Korea Customs Service.
Export jumped 20.6 percent from a year earlier to 53.9 billion dollars in Feb, after growing 15.5 percent in the previous month. Import advanced 25.2 percent to 53.1 billion dollars last month.
The outbound shipment topped 50 billion dollars for the 12th consecutive month amid the global demand recovery for locally-made products.
Semiconductor export surged 23.4 percent over the year to 10.56 billion dollars in Feb, and the shipment for oil products spiked 65.6 percent to 4.02 billion dollars.
Export for steel products, home appliances, and ships increased in double figures, but those for display panels and mobile devices posted a double-digit reduction.
Import for raw materials picked up 36.7 percent in Feb from a year earlier on the back of expensive crude oil.
The inbound shipment for consumer and capital goods expanded over 14 percent last month.– NNN-YONHAP
