Trade between South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) soared 22.8 percent annually during the first half of this year to 558 million U.S. dollars, the Korea International Trade Association said in a report.

According to the report, South Korean exports to the DPRK increased 15.1 percent to 358.8 million U.S. dollars from January to June while imports from the DPRK rose 39.9 percent to 199.26 million U.S. dollars.

The expansion of the inter-Korean trade are mainly driven by trade through the industrial complex in DPRK's border city of Kaesong, the report said.

Trade through the complex expanded 39.8 percent to 109.52 million U.S. dollars during the first six months from a year earlier, according to the report.

The Kaesong complex is a symbol of the inter-Korean cooperation. There are 15 South Korean companies currently operating in the complex.

Source: Xinhua