Ulsan remains top city for per capita income

Ulsan has been the richest city in Korea for four years in terms of personal income, a government report said.

According to Statistics Korea yesterday, per capita income of Ulsan citizens was 18.31 million won ($17,257) last year, 24 percent higher than the national average of 14.77 million won. Seoul was second (17.52 million won), followed by Busan (15.05 million won).

South Jeolla was the poorest region with a per capita income of 12.49 million won, the report showed.

In terms of private consumption, Seoul was on top at 17.51 million won, followed by Ulsan with 14.13 million won.

The total personal income of 16 cities and provinces reached 739 trillion won, up 3.1 percent from 2011.

Seoul achieved 289 trillion won, the largest regional gross domestic product.

The total GDP of the 16 cities and provinces of the country stood at 1,275 trillion won last year, up 2.7 percent.

However, adjusted for inflation, the total figure rose 1.9 percent, slowing from a 3.3 percent growth a year earlier.

Gyeonggi was second to Seoul in terms of GDP with 251 trillion won. Last-place Jeju produced about 12 trillion won.

The total GDP of Seoul metropolitan areas stood at 600 million won, up 2.4 percent from 2011.

The proportion of Seoul metropolitan areas to the total GDP declined 0.1 percentage point from a year earlier to 47.1 percent.

By industry, agricultural and fisheries accounted for 16.5 percent of the regional economy of North Gyeongsang. Mining and manufacturing businesses prevailed in Gyeonggi, representing 23 percent of GDP.

BY SONG SU-HYUN [ssh@joongang.co.kr]