South Korea's exports and imports exceeded US$1 trillion on Monday, breaching
the $1-trillion mark for the second consecutive year, the government
said.
"The trade volume came to over $1 trillion as of 11:06 this
morning," Kwon Pyung-oh, a spokesman for the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, told
reporters.
Exports have so far amounted to $512.8 billion with imports
coming to about $487.2 billion as of Monday, according to the
ministry.
The country's trade volume topped $1 trillion for the first
time in its history last year, becoming the world's ninth nation to have ever
reached the $1-trillion mark in trade.
Topping the $1 trillion mark
had been well expected as the ministry earlier said the country's trade volume
in the first 11 months of the year came to $979.5 billion.
Still,
ministry officials said this year's total trade volume was expected to somewhat
dwindle from last year's, noting the $1 trillion mark was reached on Dec. 5 in
2011.