South Korea’s exports grew nearly 23 percent on-year in October to amount to 54-point-97 billion U.S. dollars. 

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy unveiled the figure on Thursday, the second largest to be posted since trade statistics began to be compiled in 1956. The largest amount of exports was posted back in September of last year. 

The ministry attributed the strong figure to record shipments of general machinery and petrochemical products. 

October marked the sixth consecutive month for South Korea's exports to top 50 billion dollars.

Cumulative exports from January to October stood at a record 505-point-three billion dollars, up six-point-four percent compared to the same period last year. 

Meanwhile, imports climbed nearly 23 percent to 48-point-four billion dollars in October.

The resulting trade surplus was six-and-a-half billion dollars, marking the 81st consecutive month that exports have exceeded imports.