Korea’s exports surge to second-highest in April

South Korea’s exports surged to their second-highest monthly tally in April with imports also growing at a steady pace, the government said Thursday.

Outbound shipments came to $50.31 billion in April, up 9 percent from the same month last year. Imports rose 5 percent on-year to $45.85 billion, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The country’s trade surplus widened to $4.46 billion last month from $2.45 billion in April 2013, marking the 27th consecutive month of surplus.

“The country’s exports breached the $50 billion mark for the second time in its history on a large growth in shipments to the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations,” the ministry said in a press release.

The country’s highest monthly figure for exports is $50.48 billion posted in October 2013. Exports to the United States spiked 19.3 percent on-year in April, with shipments to the 10 member countries of ASEAN jumping 17 percent. The ministry said exports to Japan surged 12 percent on-year in April, compared with a 1 percent on-year gain in the previous month. (Yonhap)