South Korea's trade surplus soared to a five-month high in November, driven
mostly by increased shipments of oil products, semiconductors and mobile
communications equipment, the customs office said Sunday.
According to
a report by the Korea Customs Service, the country's trade surplus surged 46
percent on-year to US$4.38 billion. The amount is the biggest since $5.1 billion
in June.
Exports rose 3.8 percent from a year earlier to $47.8 billion
and imports gained 0.9 percent to $43.4 billion, marking the second straight
month that exports and imports have expanded simultaneously, the report
showed.
Shipments of oil products jumped 10.6 percent, marking a third
consecutive month of double-digit growth. Mobile equipment and semiconductor
sales rose 14.4 percent and 12.6 percent, respectively.
Automobile
sales, also rebounded 1.4 percent, stemming a decline that started in
June.
Exports of ships, however, plunged 47.8 percent over the period,
trimming the overall overseas sales growth last month, according to the
report.