South Korea's exports fell 6.1 percent in January from a year earlier, extending the slump to a 14th consecutive month due to fewer working days and still weak demand for chips. 

According to data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, outbound shipments came to 43.35 billion US dollars last month, compared with 46.17 billion dollars posted a year earlier. 
  
The pace, however, was slower than the median forecast of a 7.5 percent on-year drop.

Imports moved down 5.3 percent on-year in January to 42.7 billion dollars.

The country's trade surplus came to 620 million dollars in January, marking 96 straight months in which the country's exports have exceeded imports.