[경제]Trade balance deficit streak for the first year…Semiconductor exports ‘sudden decrease’

[앵커]

Last month, the trade balance recorded a deficit of 5.3 billion dollars, continuing the deficit for the first year.

In particular, the performance of the semiconductor sector, Korea’s largest export item, is rapidly shrinking, and dark clouds are still hanging over the export front.

Reporter Kang Hee-kyung reports.

[기자]

Last month, the trade balance recorded another deficit.

A deficit of 5.3 billion dollars, which is about 7.225 trillion won in Korean money.

The deficit has been reduced by more than half from January this year, which was the largest ever, but anxiety is growing as the deficit march continues for the 12th month.

In particular, it is the first time in 25 years that the trade deficit has continued for more than a year since the consecutive deficit from January 1995 to May 1997.

First of all, exports amounted to 50.1 billion dollars, down 7.5% from the same month last year.

It was the fifth consecutive month of decline amid the global economic slowdown.

In particular, last month’s exports of semiconductors, Korea’s largest export item, almost halved in a year due to the impact of product price declines.

The amount of exports to China, which was greatly affected by the decrease in semiconductor exports, also decreased by 24.2%.

In contrast, last month’s imports rose 3.6% to $55.4 billion.

Energy imports increased by 19.7% compared to last year. Crude oil imports decreased due to falling oil prices, but gas imports increased in preparation for energy supply and demand during the winter season.

[추경호 / 부총리 겸 기획재정부장관 (지난달 16일) : 석유·가스 등 동절기 에너지 수입은 줄지 않고 있는 가운데 글로벌 경기 둔화 여파로 전체 수출의 약 20%를 차지하는 반도체 수출 감소세가 심화하고 있으며….]

The government emphasized that it would do its best to achieve this year’s export target of 685 billion dollars, saying that it would promote a dense and multifaceted export support system to overcome the complex crisis.

This is Kang Hee-kyung of YTN.

YTN Kang Hee-kyung ([email protected])

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