Inter-Korean cargoes drop by 26 percent in first quarter

Activity between North and South Korea has cooled a little over the previous year.

Vessel operation stood at 505 trips on a one-way basis in the first quarter of this year, falling by 6 percent over last year's 537 during the same period. Cargoes also decreased by 26.2 percent to 81,560 tons compared with 110,548 tons during the same period of last year.

According to the Ministry of Unification, vessels bound for North Korea from South Korea amounted to 243, 65departing from Mookho, 62 from Tonghae, 38 from Inchon, 37 from Pusan, and 29 from Sokcho. Vessels sailing from the North counted 245, 107 sailing from Changjeon, 49 from Heungnam, 36 from Hanju, 22 from Najin, 18 from Nampo, and 13 from Wonsan.

Inchon and Nampo trade usually carries electronic products, cigarettes and garments, and Pusan and Najin trade takes care of the transit cargoes between Korea and China by the 'Chu Xing' operated three times a month by Dongyoung Shipping.

Cargoes from South to North Korea included agricultural products, pottery products, seafood such as brown seaweed, and textiles. Of transported cargoes, 17,579 tons came from Inchon, 6,615 tons from Okkye, 4,839 tons from Ulsan, and 3,861 tons from Pusan.

A total of 46,391 tons of cargoes such as agricultural products, seafood products, steel and other metals, as well as mineral products moved from the North to South Korea, 31,088 tons of cargo shipping from Najin, 4,629 tons from Cheongjin, 3,690 tons from Haejoo, 3,623 tons from Nampo, and 1,452 tons from Yanghwa.

"The trade reductions between North and South Korea were based on sea transportation setbacks eroding businessmen's faith in the trade route. Especially, trade during the January to February period dipped by 30.9 percent over the same period of last year," an official at the Ministry of Unification said.