South Korean exports will likely recover in the second quarter of the year on the back of a mild upturn in the major economies such as the United States and China, a poll showed Monday.

The index measuring the country’s exports for the coming months came in at 54.1 for the second quarter of the year, up 2.3 points from the previous quarter, according to the survey by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency.

The figure marked the highest result since the third quarter of 2011.

The index is based on a survey of 2,163 foreign buyers of South Korean products, jointly conducted by KOTRA and the Samsung Economic Research Institute, a private think tank.

A reading above 50 means a majority expect improvements in overseas shipments.

KOTRA said that the rosy export outlook is attributable to economic recovery in countries that buy South Korean goods. (Yonhap News)