SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's exports posted a double-digit growth for eight straight months to August, boosting expectations for recovery of the export-driven economy, a government report showed Friday.
Exports, which account for about half of the economy, jumped 17.4 percent from a year earlier to 47.11 billion U.S. dollars in August, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
It marked the 10th consecutive month of increase in exports. From January to August, the exports continued to rise by a double digit.
Imports advanced 14.2 percent to 40.1 billion dollars, sending the August trade surplus to 7.01 billion dollars. The trade balance stayed in the black for 67 months in a row.
