Monthly export records topped the recent records twice for two months making Korea the second country with a high export increasing rate next to China this year. 
On Nov. 6, the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) announced a trade status analysis on main competitor nations. Korea has increased in each export (18.1%, 156.1 billion dollars from the same period last year), import (17.5%, 145.3 billion) and balance of payments (22%, 10.8 billion) until last month October. 
China recorded export by 307.7 billion dollars, import by 298.7 billion and balance of payments by 9 billion until September. Export and import has each increased by 32.3% and 40.5% while balance of trade decreased by 10.9 billion. 
Export in Japan has increased by 11.7% (339.8 billion dollars), import by 13.9% (280 billion) and balances increased by 1.6 billion (59.8 billion). Taiwan’s export and import has each increased by 8.1% (103.3 billion) and 9.2% (90.8 billion), and balance scale (12.5 billion) is similar to last year’s record. 
Until August, Hong Kong recorded an increase in export (12.6%) by 142.5 billion dollars, import (11.3%) by 104.7 billion and balance of trade recorded -4.9 billion. Singapore increased records in export (14%) by 104.6 billion, import (7.6%) by 92.7 billion and balances (11.8 billion) by 6.3 billion. 
Source : Yonhap News Agency, November 6, 2003