Jumping to 38.8% in 2003 from 21.4% in 1999 Reliance on China for exports of domestic steel products is gradually increasing. Last year, Korea exported a total of 15.1 million tons of steel products, andof those exports, the exports to China posted 5.86 million tons, exceeding5 million tons for the first time. Compared with 1999 when Korea shipped out 3.06 million tons of steel products to China, it was an increase of 2.8 million tons, nearing a two-fold increase in five years. During this period of five years, China's weight in the overall export market for domestic steel products increased to 38.8%, an increase of 17.4% points from 21.4%. There are worrying voices from some corners of the industry over such a concentration on a specific market in the exports of domestic steel products. However, a large number of people think that it may be natural that domestic steelmakers' overseas sales are increasing in China where steel production has not yet increased as fast as demand and steelmaking technology is still poor in some aspects to accelerate its own steel production, although its overall economic growth is increasing at a rapid pace. Furthermore, they are stressing thatKorean steelmakers should make the most of such a good opportunity by taking their geographic advantage and advanced steelmaking technology in exports to China and that an increase in steel product exports to China is not a matter in Korea only. Meanwhile, in the case of flat product exports, a 43.3% of the total outbound shipmentswere concentrated on China last year. Of the total exports of 10.83 million tons, Korea shipped out 4.69 million tons, almost two-fold increase from 2.44 million tons in 1999, to China last year. Particularly in the case of plates, the weight of exports to China increased to 72.6% in five years from 9.4% in 1999. In the case of electricalsheets, exports to China accounted for 82.6% of the total offshore sales last year by shipping out more than 8 tons from 10 tons produced last year.. Besides, exports of hot-rolled coils, galvanized steel sheets and other coated steel sheets also increased their reliance by 15-30% in 5 years. However, cold-rolled steel sheets and tin plates, both of which are heavily relyingon China, increased their weights by only 2.7% points and 1.2% points, respectively. steelkmj@snmnews.com