4월 1∼10일 수출 18.6%↓…3월 실업급여 지급액 9천억원 '역대 최대'<br /><br />The number of South Koreans seeking unemployment benefit soared to a record high in March as the coronavirus pandemic took a hit at Asia's fourth-largest economy.<br />The COVID-19 led disruption in production and trade around the globe is also being reflected in the country's export numbers.<br />Our Eum Jiyoung reports.<br />South Korean exports in the first ten days of this month... were down almost 19 percent compared to the same period last year.<br />According to the Korea Customs Service, shipments in the first 10 days of April fell 18-point-6 percent on-year to 12-point-2 billion U.S. dollars.<br />Exports of petroleum products were down nearly 48 percent, and automobile parts more than 30 percent.<br />Shipments to China slipped more than 10 percent, while those to the U.S. and Europe were down more than 3 percent and 20 percent, respectively.<br />Imports also fell by 13 percent on year, to 14-point-6 billion dollars.<br />Meanwhile, the amount of state allowances paid to unemployed South Koreans looking for jobs rose to an all-time high in March as the pandemic caused layoffs to skyrocket.<br />Ministry of Employment and Labor says the government in March paid out roughly 739 million dollars in unemployment benefits... up a whopping 40-point-4 percent from the same month last year. This broke the previous record of about 642 million dollars set just the month before.<br />The ministry also said roughly 156-thousand people newly applied for the benefit last month,... up about 25 percent on-year.<br />But reflecting the lack of hiring right now, the number of new subscribers to employment insurance rose by only 1-point-9 percent, the lowest level in 16 years.<br />Eum Ji-young Arirang News.<br />
