SEOUL, July 19 (Xinhua) -- South Korean exports of industrial parts and materials posted the first double-digit increase in six years, a government report showed Wednesday.
Exports of industrial materials and components reached 134.4 billion U.S. dollars in the first half, up 10.5 percent from the same period of last year, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
It was the first double-digit expansion since the first half of 2011. The parts and material exports logged the double-digit growth for two straight quarters through the second quarter.
Textile goods exports declined 3.9 percent, but those for chemical, plastic and rubber products gained ground. Shipments of electronic parts jumped 23.9 percent, leading the overall increase.
By region, exports to Southeast Asian countries and Latin American nations advanced over 20 percent. Those to Europe and Japan rose 7.4 percent and 7.5 percent each, but those to the Middle East inched down 0.7 percent.
Imports of industrial parts and material gained 9.6 percent over the year to 81.4 billion dollars in the first half.
Trade surplus in the sector reached 53 billion dollars in the first half, up 5.64 billion dollars from a year earlier.
