SEOUL, May 15 (Xinhua) -- The price for imported goods to South Korea turned downward due to lower crude oil price, central bank data showed Friday.
The import price index fell 2.3 percent in April from a month earlier after jumping 18 percent in March amid the Middle East tensions, according to the Bank of Korea.
Price for Dubai crude, South Korea's benchmark, averaged 105.7 U.S. dollars per barrel in April, down from 128.52 dollars in the previous month.
The average South Korean won versus dollar exchange rate slightly rose to 1,487.39 won in April from 1,486.64 won in March.
Price for imported raw materials, including mining products, dipped 9.7 percent in April on a monthly basis, shifting downward from a surge of 40.4 percent in the previous month.
Import price for intermediary goods gained 2.1 percent last month, after picking up 12.7 percent in the prior month.
Prices for imported capital and consumer goods added 0.4 percent and 0.2 percent each.
The export price index climbed 7.1 percent in April from a month earlier, slower than an increase of 17 percent in the previous month. ■
