SEOUL, April 15 (Xinhua) — South Korea’s export of information and communication technology (ICT) products rose for the fifth successive month due to solid demand for locally-made semiconductors, government data showed Monday.
The ICT products shipment jumped 19.4 percent over the year to 18.82 billion U.S. dollars in March, continuing to grow since November last year, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
Semiconductor export soared 33.9 percent to 11.69 billion dollars last month, keeping a double-digit expansion for the fifth consecutive month.
Display panel shipment increased 13.0 percent to 1.62 billion dollars on robust demand for panels used for TVs and computers, while mobile phone export gained 6.6 percent to 880 million dollars.
Shipment for computers and peripherals surged 20.3 percent to 1.02 billion dollars, while communications equipment export decreased 7.1 percent to 220 million dollars.
Import for ICT products declined 1.2 percent from a year earlier to 11.71 billion dollars in March, sending the trade surplus in the ICT industry to 7.11 billion dollars.
Import for chips, display panels and mobile phones went up last month, but import for computers and peripherals dwindled in single digits.
