Newly-released data shows South Korea's exports of cultural content surpassed six billion dollars for the first time in 2016.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Friday that exports grew in all fields except for publishing. Exports of film rose nearly 50 percent, broadcasting 28 percent and music and advertisements by 16 percent respectively.

By export volume in monetary terms, the games industry topped the list at close to three-point-three billion dollars.

Meanwhile, imports of foreign contents fell three-and-a-half percent in 2016, resulting in a trade surplus of four-point-eight billion dollars.