Anchor: The central bank’s newly released figures show that the nation’s per capita gross national income last year fell for the first time in six years. Also last year, the country’s economic growth remained in the two percent range, the lowest in three years.
Our Park Jong-hong reports.

Report: South Korea’s per capita gross national income(GNI) marked 27-thousand-340 U.S. dollars last year.

The Bank of Korea(BOK) said Friday that public accounts for last year showed average individual income, or per capita GNI, was two-point-six percent—or 731 dollars—less than the figure from the previous year.

This is the first time in six years that the per capita GNI posted a negative growth.

In 2006, the average income for South Koreans topped the 20-thousand dollar mark hitting 20-thousand-823 dollars.

The figure fell to 18-thousand-303 dollars in 2009 in the immediate aftermath of the global financial crisis but rebounded to 22-thousand-170 dollars in 2010 and had been steadily rising until last year.

Meanwhile, the average per capita gross national income in terms of the Korean won increased four-point-six percent, or one-point-37 million won, last year from 2014 when the average South Korean earned 29-point-56 million won.

This was attributed to the rise of the won-to-dollar exchange rate by seven-point-four percent last year, which weakened the value of the won.

The real GNI, or the GNI calculated after taking inflation into account, rose six-point-five percent last year.

Real gross domestic product (GDP)was more lackluster, rising merely two-point-six percent. This marked the lowest expansion since two-point-three percent growth posted in 2012.
Park Jong-hong, KBS World Radio News.