Christmas ornaments are displayed at a stationery store in central Seoul in this file photo taken on Dec. 22, 2022. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s imports of party supplies, such as decorations and balloons, hit a record-high through November this year, customs data showed Thursday, as the country has lifted social-distancing rules.
The combined imports of party supplies over the January-November period came to US$64 million, up 31.7 percent from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Korea Customs Service.
The amount far exceeds $56 million tallied for all of 2021.
The growth came as people hosted various parties, gatherings, and festivals that had been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the office said.
In particular, imports of Christmas-themed supplies totaled $36.5 million, up 15.9 percent from a year earlier, the data showed.
China-made items accounted for 94 percent of overall imports of party supplies over the period, followed by those from the United States with 4 percent.
(Yonhap)
