Sales were 1.59 trillion won ($1.54 billion) in May, versus 1.23 trillion won for the same month of last year. "Expansion in the crude oil processing rate increased exports, while high oil prices pushed up the value of sales to a great extent," the company said in a public disclosure to the Korea Exchange. Sales for its mainstay petroleum business shot up 42.2 percent to 1.21 trillion won and lubricant sales grew 29.3 percent to 54.3 billion won. In contrast, revenue from the chemical business slipped 5.1 percent to 319.6 billion won due to regular maintenance. Despite continued bullish sales in the past few months, SK Corp said in late June that its operating profits would fall 13 percent to 1.41 trillion won in 2005 from a year before, dented by flagging margins in petroleum and petrochemical businesses. The company did not provide a monthly profit figure. PIN/Reuters