Trade Surplus with U.S. Totals $137 Billion Since 2000

Korea's cumulative trade surplus with the U.S. reached US$137 billion from 2000 to the first quarter of this year.

The U.S. Department of Commerce said that apart from a deficit of $200 million in January 2000, every quarter in the 15-year period was in the black for Korea.

Economic experts attribute the ongoing surplus to the popularity of Korean automobile and IT products in the U.S., but they worry a continued imbalance could result in excessive appreciation of the won against the dollar.