In the first half of the year, the nation recorded the highest trading volume it's ever seen in the first half.<br />The trend was driven mainly by a bullish trend in the global petroleum market.<br /> Yoon Jung-min help us look beyond the numbers. <br /> South Korea saw the highest trading volume of petroleum products this year it's ever recorded for the January to June period, adding momentum to the local economy.<br /><br /> According to data from the trade ministry on Monday, exports of petroleum goods went up 4.2 percent on-year to 260 million barrels.<br /><br />Total revenue amounted to some 22 billion U.S. dollars due mainly to an increase in global oil prices... on rising demand for gasoline and diesel.<br />Prices for both inched up 0.5 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively.<br /><br /> The bullish demand for Korea's oil goods is a positive sign for the local economy. There was a sharp increase in demand, in particular, from Indonesia.<br /><br /> As for imports, the country brought in some 560 million barrels of crude oil in the first half, up 2.7 percent from the same time last year.<br />The figures are also a record high.<br /><br /> Imports from the U.S. through June soared 358 percent to 14.1 million barrels.<br />Korea bought more U.S. shale oil while reducing the volumes from the traditional oil producers in the Middle East.<br />Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News. <br />
