Bank of Korea reports April export prices up 7.1 percent month on month while import prices fall 2.3 percent

The Bank of Korea has published its preliminary April 2026 export and import price indexes and trade indexes, showing a sharp rise in export prices in Korean won terms and a decline in import prices from the previous month. The export price index rose 7.1 percent month on month and 40.8 percent year on year, while the import price index fell 2.3 percent on the month but remained 20.2 percent higher than a year earlier. On the trade side, the export volume index increased 12.4 percent year on year and the import volume index edged down 0.1 percent, while export and import value indexes rose 50.2 percent and 16.8 percent respectively. The net barter terms of trade index increased 14.3 percent year on year. The monthly rise in export prices was concentrated in manufacturing products, which also increased 7.1 percent, with notable gains in computers, electronic and optical equipment at 16.9 percent and chemical products at 7.7 percent. The monthly fall in import prices was driven by raw materials, down 9.7 percent, especially mining products, which fell 10.5 percent, including a 12.4 percent drop in coal, crude petroleum and natural gas. By contrast, import prices for intermediate goods rose 2.1 percent, while capital goods and consumer goods rose 0.4 percent and 0.2 percent respectively. The April figures are preliminary. The Bank of Korea notes that the export and import price indexes are subject to revision next month, while the trade indexes may also be revised with the following release and will be finalized in March of the following year after customs data are confirmed.