The South Korean government forecasts the country's trade volume to reach one trillion U.S. dollars in 2011 for the first time on the back of the world's robust economic recovery.

According to the Ministry of Strategy and Finance on Tuesday, the country's exports on a customs-cleared basis are expected to surge 25 percent this year to 456 billion U.S. dollars from a year earlier, hitting a record high. Imports are predicted to see a 34 percent increase to 433 billion U.S. dollars over the same period.

The figures stand considerably higher than the Ministry of Knowledge Economy's initial projections that came out earlier this year. The knowledge economy ministry said South Korea's exports and imports will rise 13 and 21 percent respectively, posting a trade surplus of 23 billion U.S. dollars.

"In general, a favorable (economic) trend is likely to continue, backed by the global economic recovery and the expansion of trade volume in 2010-2011," a local government official was quoted by Yonhap News Agency as saying.