South Korea's exports posted growth for the first time in 15 months in February on the back of a recovery in chip exports despite the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
 
According to data from the Korea Customs Service on Monday, the country's outbound shipments came to 41-point-two billion dollars last month, up four-point-three percent from a year earlier.
 
The figure marked the first growth after falling for 14 consecutive months since the exports gained three-point-six percent in November 2018.
 
The country's chip exports also marked the first growth in 15 months in February, with shipments to China and the U.S. rising by 12-point-three percent and 14-point-three percent, respectively. 

Imports rose one-and-a-half percent on-year in February to 37-point-two billion dollars.

The country's trade surplus came to four billion dollars in February, marking 97 straight months in which the country's exports have exceeded its imports.