South Korea's imports of Iranian crude oil more than doubled in the second quarter of the year from a year earlier following the lifting of international sanctions against the Middle East country early this year.

According to data by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Wednesday, the country imported a total of 25-point-35 million barrels of crude oil from Iran during the April to June period, soaring 123 percent year-on-year.

Iran had been one of the largest crude oil exporters to South Korea before the international community slapped economic sanctions over its uranium enrichment program.

South Korea’s output of oil-related products came to 283 million barrels in the second quarter, up almost three percent on-year.

The country’s imports of oil-related products jumped 15 percent on-year to 77 million barrels in the second quarter.