Inter-Korean trade reached US$425.1 million in 2000, up 27.5% from the US$333.4 million recorded in 1999, and the highest since 1989 when such trade began, according to the Korea Overseas Trade and Investment Corp. The trade accounted for 21.6% of Pyongyang's total trade last year.

The South's imports from the North amounted to US$152.4 million, up 25.3% from the previous year's US$121.6 million, and exports to the North US$272.8 million, up 28.8% from the US$211.6 million recorded in 1999. South Korea represented the North's third largest trading partner, after China and Japan. In the balance of inter-Korean trade, the South saw a nominal surplus of US$120.4 million, but in actual trade excluding transactions of non-trade nature the North registered a surplus of US$56.8 million.

Most conspicuous in the trade by commodity is the fact that electric and electronic goods increased 190.8% and 284,2% over 1999, respectively, both of which occupy joint fourth place in terms of scale.

KOTRA attributed the 27.5% rise in the inter-Korean trade in 2000 to a 29.2% surge in transactions arising from a commission basis and the South's increased intake of North Korean agricultural, forestry and fisheries goods. In addition there was a 25.3% rise in shipments to the North of materials of a non-trade nature including fertilizer and other goods provided to the North as aid, materials supplied for the reactor power plants now under construction there and ongoing inter-Korean economic cooperation projects.

(Kim Kwang In, kki@chosun.com )