Choi Woo-seok, director-general of the Trade and Investment Division of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, on July 1 discusses the ministry report on last month's export and import trends at Government-Complex Sejong. (Yonhap News)

By Yoo Yeon Gyeong

The nation in the first half of the year posted its largest surplus in six years thanks to record-high semiconductor exports last month and overall exports posting growth for the ninth consecutive month.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on July 1 said in a report on June export and import trends that overseas shipments reached USD 57.07 billion (KRW 78.84 trillion) last month, up 5.1% from the same month last year. Imports fell 7.5% to USD 49.07 billion (KRW 67.79 trillion), resulting in a trade surplus of USD 8 billion.

Exports of all information and communications technology items like semiconductors, displays, computers and wireless communication devices went up for the fourth straight month, while those of semiconductors, the top export performer, made it eighth consecutive month of growth.

Chip exports last month reached a record-high USD 13.42 billion, up 50.9% from May.

By region, the U.S. reclaimed from China the title of Korea's largest export market with USD 11.02 billion, the most in history for June and up 14.7% year on year. The Chinese market was No. 2.

Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Dukgeun said, "The government will focus all available resources to boost exports through a public-private team, as well as proactively respond to loss factors to allow our exports to keep up their strong growth in the second half of the year."

dusrud21@korea.kr