SEOUL, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's per-capita gross national income (GNI) is estimated to be around 17,000 U.S. dollars last year with the exchange rate effect taken into account, local media reported Thursday, quoting government officials.

    According to Yonhap News Agency, the figure is likely to move down from 19,231 U.S. dollars in 2008 to the level similar to the 2005 reading.

    South Korea's GNI registered has been moving up since 2002 when it tallied 12,100 U.S. dollars, and peaked in 2007 with 21,695 U.S. dollars.

    The GNI estimate for 2009 was based on assumptions that the economy grew 0.2 percent in 2009 and the foreign exchange rate averaged at 1,276 won per U.S. dollar, the News Agency said.

    The South Korean government expected that the economy would expand 5 percent this year, which will enable the GNI to move above the 20,000 U.S. dollar mark, according to the News Agency.

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