Korea Trade Association: Exports in the first half of 2019: 8.5% down due to poor semiconductors
Seoul
July 19, 2019
Korea Trade Association:
On July 15, import and export statistics for the first half of 2019 (Jan-June) were released.
Exports: $ 271,336 million, down 8.5% from last year
Imports: $ 252,135 million, down 5.1% from last year.
Trade surplus: $ 19,201 million, down from the previous year.
Ministry of Industry, Trade and Resources:
The decrease in exports is attributed to the prolonged US-US trade friction, the atrophy of world trade, and the decline in export prices due to sluggish semiconductor and petrochemical business conditions.
By export item: (Korea MTI 3-digit base); (See Table 2)
The main items such as semiconductors, petroleum products, automobile parts and synthetic resins decreased (see Table 1).
By region, sales decreased in all regions except North America, Latin America, and Africa.
Country of export:
1st place: China decreased 17.0% from the previous year due to declines in semiconductors, flat panel display sensors, petroleum products and synthetic resins.
2nd place: In the US, sales increased 7.2%, with a rise in automobiles, auto parts and petroleum products.
Japan, petroleum products, semiconductors and auto parts decreased 6.3%.
By import item: (See Table 3)
Oil, natural gas, petroleum products, coal, etc. decreased, and semiconductors and wireless communication equipment increased.
Region: (See Table 4)
All regions except North America and Oceania decreased.
Country:
China: An increase of 4.3% over the previous year, mainly for semiconductors and wireless communication devices,
US: Crude oil quadrupled by 4.8%.
Japan, although automobiles increased, semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment decreased 13.3%.
-JETRO
https://www.jetro.go.jp/biznews/2019/07/a89fa074d5d19e45.html