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The Korea International Trade Association said, Monday, imports of soccer balls reached US$6.83million as of the end of June, up 156% from US$2.66million in the same period last year, and already surpassing the 2001 total of US$5.78million.
The domestic manufacturing base for producing soccer balls was solid enough for exports to reach US$12.11million in 1988, but most production lines were moved to China and South East Asia because of high labor costs. The record for imports of soccer balls is US$7 million, followed by US$6.78 in 1995, before falling to an average US$4 million in the following years.
A KITA official said that powered by the soccer fever during the 2002 World Cup, this year's import of soccer balls is expected to reach a new record high.
By nations exporting soccer balls into the country during January to May this year, China took the largest part with US$2.946 million, followed by Pakistan with US$2.318 million and Germany with US$1.650million.
(Lee In-yeol, yiyul@chosun.com )
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