South Korean companies paid $321 million in...

South Korean companies paid $321 million in royalties for high-technology imports from the United States and other countries during the first half of the year, government figures show. The Ministry of Finance reported that the royalty payment for the first half was up from $226 million in the same period in 1987. Officials attributed the sharp increase to South Korea’s growing demand for high technology for electric, electronic and chemical products and machinery. The United States was the largest supplier of technology to South Korea during the period with $161 million, followed by Japan with $112 million.