S Korea's trade slump deepens in April

Seoul

SOUTH Korean exports fell at a sharper pace in April as fewer working days ate into shipments already suffering from weak global demand and low global commodity prices, and the trade ministry said it was not optimistic about conditions in May.

Preliminary data showed April exports slid 11.2 per cent from a year earlier, while imports dropped a faster 14.9 per cent, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said on Sunday. Both figures were worse than economists had expected.

Exports from Asia's fourth largest economy have been falling since January last year, and declined 8.1 per cent in March, while imports dropped 13.…