*South Korea imported 2.78mn b/d of crude and condensate for 1H 2023, up a modest 1.4% year-on-year but below 2022 average volumes of 2.81mn b/d.

* The Middle East share of the Korean market hit 72.4% for 1H 2023, the highest half year figure since 1H 2019. This comes as volumes from Russia, Korea’s number six supplier with 159,000 b/d for 2021, fell to zero. (CONTINUED - 263 WORDS)