The World Cup soccer tournament has more than doubled the nation's imports of soccer balls this year.

The Korea Customs Office said Thursday that soccer ball imports hit 5.3 million dollars in the first five months of the year, up 2.3 times from the same period of last year.

About 80 percent of the imports were from China, followed by those from Pakistan.

The customs office said ball imports grew given their popularity as gifts and a rise in the soccer playing population thanks to the World Cup.

South Korea also saw imports of soccer balls double in 2002, the year when it co-hosted the World Cup with Japan.