South Korea"s exports rose 33.7 per cent in December from the same month a year earlier as an improving economic outlook around the world improved its companies" sales abroad, dpa quoted the government as saying Friday. Its export-driven economy saw the second monthly increase in a row as exports climbed to 36.2 billion dollars, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy said. Imports also rose 24 per cent for the month to 32.9 billion dollars in another sign that Asia"s fourth-largest economy is recovering from the global recession. The figures made South Korea"s trade surplus 3.3 billion dollars in December. The country saw a record surplus for all of 2009 of 41 billion dollars, mainly because of a large drop in imports. Its 2009 exports fell 13.8 per cent from 2008 to 363.8 billion dollars while imports dropped 25.8 per cent to 322.8 billion dollars. The ministry said that for 2010, it expected a 20-billion-dollar surplus for the nation whose most important exports include ships, petrochemical products, cars, electronic chips, machines, mobile phones and flat screens. Exports were predicted to increase 13 per cent and imports by 21 per cent, it said. South Korea"s economy saw its fastest growth in seven years in the third quarter at 3.2 per cent compared with the second quarter. The government and research institutes predicted growth this year of 4.5 to 5.5 per cent.
