SEOUL, May 1 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's export topped 50 billion U.S. dollars for two straight months through April for the first time despite the first fall in outbound shipment in 18 months, a government report showed Tuesday.
Export, which accounts for about half of the export-driven economy, shrank 1.5 percent from a year earlier to 50.06 billion U.S. dollars in April, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
After peaking at 22.3 percent, the year-over-year export growth rate kept falling to 3.3 percent in February and 6.1 percent in March each, before turning downward in April.
It was attributable to the high base effect, in which last April's export posted a double-digit increase owing to one-off factors such as the large delivery of offshore plants and the advance shipment ahead of the long holiday in May last year.
Despite the monthly fall, the export surpassed 50 billion dollars for the second consecutive month, after recording 51.58 billion dollars in outbound shipment.
During the January-April period, the exports reached a new record high of 195.5 billion dollars. It was up 6.9 percent from the same period of last year.
Imports gained 14.5 percent over the year to 43.45 billion dollars in April, sending the trade surplus to 6.61 billion dollars. The trade balance stayed in black for 75 months in a row.
By item, semiconductor exports jumped 37 percent to 9.78 billion dollars last month, marking the second-biggest monthly figure. The chip export accounted for almost one-fifth of the total shipments.
Export for general machinery posted a record monthly high of 4.79 billion dollars, with petrochemical export topping 4 billion dollars for the fifth consecutive month.
Shipments for oil products and computers registered a double-digit expansion, with those for auto parts and textiles rising last month.
Ship exports tumbled 75 percent as it is reflected in the export figure when making delivery. Exports, which exclude the ship, advanced 10.4 percent to 48.28 billion dollars in April.
Exports for display panels, consumer electronics and telecommunication devices such as smartphones declined by a double digit last month, with those for steels and automobiles falling last month.
The falling smartphone export stemmed mainly from an increasing production in overseas factories, including those in China and Vietnam. The car export slumped on weak demand from the U.S. market.
By country, export to China, South Korea's biggest trading partner, posted a double-digit increase on brisk industrial activity of the world's No.2 economy. Those to Japan and the Middle East also grew by a double digit.
Shipment to the United States, South Korea's second-biggest trading partner, shed on soft demand for locally-made automobiles and telecommunication devices.
Exports to Vietnam recorded a double-digit decline on stiffer competition and the reduced demand for parts, with those to the European Union (EU) slumping over 20 percent.
The trade ministry said uncertainties emerged such as protectionist moves, the local currency's ascent to the dollar, and the normalizing monetary policies in major economies, which unusually accommodated monetary stance after the global financial crisis erupted.
The ministry, however, noted positive factors co-existed such as recovery in the global manufacturing industry and higher export product prices caused by high crude oil prices.
