S. Korea's Sept. trade deficit amounts to US$2.06 bln

SEOUL, Oct. 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's trade account remained in the red in
September amid rising import costs for oil and other raw materials, a government
report showed Friday.
According to the report by the Korea Customs Service, trade shortfalls amounted
to $2.06 billion last month, bringing the cumulative deficit for this year to
$14.67 billion. The government has said it aims to reduce that figure to around
$6 billion.
Exports grew 28.2 percent from a year ago to $37.59 billion, while imports also
surged 45.8 percent to $39.65 billion over the same period, the report showed.
The deficit resulted mostly from oil imports from the Middle East. Trade
shortfalls amounted to $7.44 billion last year from the oil-abundant region,
according to the report.
Average import prices stood at $844 per ton in September, easing from July's peak
of $953 per ton.
Trade with Japan also contributed to the shortfalls, the report showed. The
September trade deficit with the neighboring country totaled $3.14 billion.