SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Xinhua/APP): South Korea’s exports posted single-digit growth in the first 20 days of this month due to solid demand for domestically produced semiconductors, customs office data showed Monday.
Outbound shipments rose 6.8 percent from a year earlier to 43.03 billion U.S. dollars in the December 1-20 period, according to Korea Customs Service.
The daily average exports value increased 3.6 percent to 2.61 billion U.S. dollars in the 20-day period.
Semiconductor exports surged 41.8 percent to 11.65 billion U.S. dollars, while automotive shipments fell 12.7 percent to 3.25 billion U.S. dollars.
Exports of ships retreated in double digits, and shipments of steel, oil products and auto parts saw single-digit declines.
Imports edged up 0.7 percent to 39.21 billion U.S. dollars in the first 20 days of December, resulting in a trade surplus of 3.82 billion U.S. dollars.
Imports of chips, cars, precision machinery and mobile devices saw a double-digit increase, but imports of natural gas, coal, oil products and semiconductor equipment fell by double digits.