South Korea's exports have risen for the eighth month in a row thanks to the recovering global economy and diversification of export items and markets.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Saturday that outbound shipments came to 51-point-four billion dollars in June based on a tentative tally.

It's the second highest monthly record to date since the government began compiling export and import data. Monthly exports were larger only once before at 51-point-six billion dollars in October 2014.

The June figure is also 13-point-seven percent higher from the same month last year. It's the sixth straight month of posting double digit growth since January.

Trade Minister Joo Hyung-hwan has predicted that annual exports can rise around ten percent this year with the trade volume reaching one trillion dollars for the first time in three years, as long as there are no sudden changes to the trade environment such as strengthened protectionism or a plunge in global oil cost in the remaining year.

He said the government will continue policy measures to renovate the nation's export structure.