Last year’s exports 5.4%↓… Expected to recover this year in the last minute rebound
[앵커]
Last year, Korea’s trade report was released.
Both exports and imports declined in the aftermath of Corona 19.
Fortunately, exports in December recorded a record-breaking performance with double-digit growth.
There are variables such as the re-proliferation of Corona 19 this year, but the uptrend is expected to continue.
This is Bae Sam-jin.
[기자]
Last year, annual exports decreased by 5.4% to USD 51.85 billion, and imports decreased by 7.2% to USD 46.23 billion.
The annual trade surplus stood at $45.52 billion, continuing the trend for 12 consecutive years.
Annual exports exceeded 500 billion dollars for the fourth consecutive year, but the trade amount reached 980 billion dollars, a decrease of about 66.4 billion dollars from the previous year.
The reason is that exports were sluggish in the second quarter due to the corona 19 effect.
It has been four years since 2016 that the amount of trade has not reached $1 trillion.
However, after the third quarter, it showed a clear recovery, and 4Q results increased 4.2% from the previous year.
In particular, as of December, exports amounted to 5.11 billion dollars, an increase of 12.6% from a year ago, the highest ever recorded in December.
It is only 26 months since October 2018 that export growth has recorded double digits.
This year, there are variables such as the re-proliferation of Corona 19 and the trade conflict between the US and China, but exports are expected to improve due to the improvement of the trade environment, a gradual rise in oil prices, and base effects.
“We expect to lead the recovery of our economy due to the recovery of key industries such as semiconductors and automobiles, and the advancement of new industries such as rechargeable battery bio.”
Exports to the four major markets such as the United States, China, the European Union, and ASEAN recorded positive for two consecutive months in 39 months, and major trading organizations predicted that exports to Korea would increase by 6-7% this year.
This is Samjin Bae on Yonhap News TV.
Yonhap News TV article inquiries and reports: katok/line jebo23
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