SEOUL, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Price for imported goods to South Korea fell for the second consecutive month due to cheaper crude oil, central bank data showed Wednesday.

The import price index slipped 0.4 percent in March from a month earlier, after retreating 1.0 percent in the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).

The successive slide was attributed to cheaper crude oil that offset the local currency's depreciation versus the U.S. dollar.

Price for Dubai crude, South Korea's benchmark, averaged 72.49 U.S. dollars per barrel in March, down from 77.92 dollars in the previous month.

The average won/dollar exchange rate gained to 1,456.95 won per dollar in March from 1,445.56 won in February.

Price for imported raw materials dived 3.3 percent in March on a monthly basis, continuing to shrink for the second straight month.

Import price for intermediary goods increased 0.7 percent on higher price for chemicals, metal products, machinery and equipment as well as computer, electronic and optical devices.

Price for imported capital and consumer goods climbed 1.6 percent and 0.9 percent, respectively.

The export price index added 0.3 percent in March from a month earlier, rebounding from a decrease of 0.6 percent in the previous month. Enditem

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