SEOUL - South Korea's imports of food and agricultural products from the United States surged over the past five years, data showed Friday.

According to data sent by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to Rep Park Joo-sun of the opposition Democratic Party, South Korea imported $5.96 billion in food and farm goods from the US in 2010, more than double from $2.35 billion tallied in 2005.

The last year's imports from the US accounted for 23.1 percent of the total agricultural products imported from overseas, up from 16.5 percent five years earlier.

The surging imports from the US sent the nation's deficit of farm goods with the US to $5.44 billionin 2010, nearly triple from $1.98 billion of deficit registered in 2005.