Trade between the U.S. and North Korea has tapered off sharply this year after a brief surge in 2008 following Washington's removal of Pyongyang from its terrorist blacklist.

U.S. Commerce Department data show that the U.S. exported 400-thousand dollars worth of goods to North Korea from January to July, while no goods were imported from the North.

Half of the 400-thousand dollars in products was exported in January when President Barack Obama took office. Exports worth 100-thousand dollars were each posted in April and July.

The figures are tantamount to a halt in bilateral trade, given that the U.S. shipped 52 million dollars worth of goods to North Korea last year.

U.S. exports to the North have been comprised mainly of grains and other agricultural products this year.

Overall, the U.S. has exported goods worth 102 million dollars to the North from 2000 to July of this year. Imports during the same period were worth a meager one-point-seven million dollars.