NEWS BRIEF

[Anchor Lead]

According to the Ministry of Labor, the number of job-seekers' allowance claims recorded an all-time high in the first four months of 2020. In April alone, 129,000 job-seekers applied for the benefits, 32,000 more than the same period last year. The number of applicants has stayed above a 100,000-mark for four consecutive months.
The Korea Customs Service says Korea's exports have declined 46.3 percent year-on-year during the first ten days of May, recording 6.9 billion dollars. Exports of automobiles have shrunk by 80 percent, while those of petrochemical products are down 76 percent. Other major export items including wireless communication devices and semiconductors have also posted a decrease.
The Financial Supervisory Service says foreigners held 140.9 trillion won worth of listed government and corporate bonds as of late April, surpassing a 140-trillion-won mark for the first time. Foreigners continue to buy Korean bonds because of a favorable economic environment in Korea and relatively high interest rates.
A survey conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations shows that the food price index recorded 165.5 points in April, down 3.4 percent from the previous month. The index has posted a decrease for three consecutive months. While prices of grains have remained relatively stable, prices of meat, dairy products, oil and sugar have plummeted.