The Bank of Korea published its preliminary May 2026 export and import price indexes and trade indexes, showing a modest month-on-month rise in export prices and a slight fall in import prices on a KRW basis. Export prices increased 0.3% from April and were 46.9% higher than a year earlier, while import prices fell 0.3% on the month but remained 24.8% above May 2025. Trade data on a USD basis pointed to stronger export momentum than import growth, with the export volume index up 14.7% year on year and the export value index up 56.8%, compared with increases of 5.2% and 21.3% for import volume and value.
Bank of Korea2026-06-16
Bank of Korea reports May export prices up 0.3 percent and import prices down 0.3 percent as trade terms improve
The Bank of Korea’s preliminary May 2026 data showed export prices rising 0.3% month on month and import prices falling 0.3% on a KRW basis, while both remained sharply higher than a year earlier. Export growth outpaced imports, with export volume up 14.7% and export value up 56.8% year on year, and the net barter terms of trade index improving 18.7%.