S.Korea's import goods prices rise on expensive crude oil in April

SEOUL, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Prices for imported goods rose on expensive crude oil in South Korea last month, Bank of Korea (BOK) data showed on Wednesday.

The import price index stood at 81.79 in April, up 0.5 percent from the prior month. It was the first rebound in three months.

Dubai crude, South Korea's benchmark, averaged 52.3 U.S. dollars per barrel in April, up 2.1 percent from a month earlier.

Prices for imported raw materials increased 2.5 percent, and those for capital goods inched up 0.4 percent.

Imported iron ore prices jumped 29.7 percent and prices for imported natural gas advanced 7.0 percent.