The volume of inter-Korean trade has dropped 3.3 percent between January and September this year to 492 million dollars from 509 million dollars in the same period last year.

The Unification Ministry said Sunday that South Korea’s imports from the North fell by 8.6 percent to 176 million dollars while exports fell by 0.1 percent to 314 million dollars.

By sector, commercial transactions dropped 17 percent to 244 million dollars, accounting for 49.5 percent of total trade.

Non-commercial trade, including humanitarian aid and tourism to Mount Geumgang, rose 15.3 percent to 248 million dollars.

A ministry official attributed the decline to South Korea’s protracted economic slump as well as North Korea’s reluctance to grant visas to South Korean businessmen.