South Korea was ranked ninth among countries with trade surpluses with the United States in the first half of the year, as Asia‘s fourth-largest economy recorded strong on-year growth in shipments to the US during the period, US government data showed.

According to the Department of Commerce, South Korea’s trade surplus with the US during the January-June period amounted to $21.67 billion, up 86.9 percent from a year ago.

The trade surplus grew as South Korean shipments to the US during the period increased 25.9 percent, while its imports from the US went up only 4.8 percent.

China ranked first in terms of trade surplus nations with the US, followed by Mexico and Vietnam in second and third place, respectively. (Yonhap)