The nation’s exports are seeing a slowdown in growth this month due to fewer working days resulting from the lunar New Year holidays. 

According to the Korea Customs Service on Wednesday, exports between February first and 20th amounted to 26-point-six billion U.S. dollars, down three-point-nine percent from the same period last year. 

The decline resulted after the number of working days slipped from 15-and-a-half days to 13 this month. 

As a result, it's difficult to say if the nation’s exports, which grew for 15 consecutive months until January, will see an increase this month. 

The customs agency estimated that daily average exports, which take into consideration the number of working days, stood at two billion dollars, up 14-point-six percent from a year ago. 

By industry, exports of semiconductors and petroleum products grew while that of automobiles, ships and mobile devices fell in the first 20 days of February.