Korea logs first deficit for diesel vehicle trade

Korea posted the first deficit ever for diesel car trade in 2015 on rising imports, industry data showed Monday.

The country’s trade deficit for diesel passenger cars reached $1.42 billion last year, down from a surplus of $870 million in 2014, according to data by the Korean Automobile Importers and Distributors Association. 

This marked the first ever deficit for Korea.

Imports of diesel vehicles spiked 28 percent on-year to an all-time high of $6.29 billion last year, while exports fell 15.7 percent over the same period to $4.88 billion, the data showed.

The expanded imports came despite the global emission scandal involving German carmaker Volkswagen.

Of the total auto imports last year that reached 243,900 units, diesel vehicles accounted for 68.9 percent, the data showed.

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)