SEOUL, April 11 (Yonhap) — South Korea’s listed manufacturers saw their overseas shipments soar 19.3 percent last year from a year earlier as an improving global economy spurred robust trade, data showed Monday.

   The combined exports of 379 manufacturers listed on the Seoul main bourse reached 241.6 trillion won (US$223 billion) in 2010, compared with 202.5 trillion won the previous year, according to the data by the Korea Exchange and the Korea Listed Companies Association.

   The on-year growth was largely attributed to a global economic recovery and firm rises in exports of chemical firms and automakers, the data said.

   According to the data, leading refiner SK Innovation Co. ranked as the top exporter with overseas shipments reaching 26.2 trillion won.

   Top automaker Hyundai Motor Co. followed with 21.2 trillion won and was also noted as the company whose exports climbed the most in 2010. Leading shipyard Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. logged 19.8 trillion won, and Kia Motors Corp., an affiliate of Hyundai Motor, followed with 14.1 trillion won.

   Listed manufacturers which use the K-IFRS accounting system, including Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc., were excluded from the tally.

   mil@yna.co.kr
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