SOUTH KOREA: The auto industry exported 136,424...

SOUTH KOREA: The auto industry exported 136,424 vehicles, mostly cars, from January to May, an increase of 39.2% from the same period last year, according to the Trade and Industry Ministry. The five-month exports, valued at $806 million, included 131,971 passenger cars and 4,453 trucks and buses. The report said the industry exported 32,919 vehicles in May, up 166.2% from 12,366 vehicles a year ago but down 4.3% from April. Officials said the United States was the biggest market, importing 62,336 vehicles in the five-month period, up 119.5% from a year ago. The United States imported 15,371 units in May, up 144.9% from a year ago. Europe was the second-largest market, with 27,608 vehicles, up 553% from a year ago. In part, that was the result of newly developed markets in Yugoslavia and Poland, the government said.