SEOUL, May 16 (Reuters) - South Korea's import price growth in April came off a 27-month high set the prior month, central bank data showed on Monday, with a strengthening won moderating a sharp rise in oil product prices.
Import prices in won terms rose 19.0 percent in April from a year earlier, the Bank of Korea said in a statement, compared with March's increase of 19.6 percent.
The won's appreciation also slowed export price growth measured in the local currency, with April export prices up 7.7 percent from a year before, versus a 9.1 percent advance in March, which was a two-year high.
The won had gained 6 percent by the end of April on the year, becoming the best performing emerging Asian currency after the Taiwan dollar.
The data comes after the Bank of Korea held interest rates steady on Friday on concerns about depressed domestic demand and uncertain global economic recovery, stunning markets for the third time this year.
Apr Mar Feb
Import prices
Over previous year 19.0 19.6 16.9
Over previous month 0.7 3.5 3.1
Export prices
Over previous year 7.7 9.1 5.6
Over previous month -1.5 2.6 1.8
(Reporting by Kim Yeonhee; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner) (yeonhee.kim@thomsonreuters.com; +822 3704 5646; Reuters Messaging: yeonhee.kim.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.