Trade between North and South Korea surged more than 20 percent annually during the first half of this year, driven by exchanges through an industrial complex in the North, a report showed Monday.
Inter-Korean trade amounted to US$558 million in the January-June period, up 22.8 percent from a year earlier, according to the report by the Korea International Trade Association.
South Korean exports to the North rose 15.1 percent to $358.8 million and imports from the communist country jumped 39.9 percent to $199.26 million.
KITA attributed the annual increase to a rise in exchanges between the two Koreas through the industrial complex in the North Korean city of Kaesong.
Trade through the complex, located just north of the inter-Korean border, grew 39.8 percent to $109.52 million during the first six months from a year earlier.
The Kaesong complex is a key product of the 2000 summit between the leaders of the Koreas, which boosted reconciliation and cooperation programs involving the two countries. Currently, 15 South Korean companies are in the complex and the number is expected to increase.
For the second half, however, KITA said that inter-Korean trade might be affected by mounting tension on the Korean Peninsula in the wake of the North's test-firing of missiles on July 5.
Seoul, July 31 (Yonhap News)
Inter-Korean trade jumps over 20 pct in first half |
