Certain South Korean products are seeing growing demand overseas amid the coronavirus pandemic, with exports of air purifiers, disinfectants and COVID-19 test kits on the rise.

According to the Korea International Trade Association(KITA) on Friday, the country's overall exports were sluggish in the first quarter due to the outbreak. However shipments of medical and hygiene items, certain home appliances and health food have grown, owing to Korea's reputation as a global example in COVID-19 quarantine measures.

Exports of air purifiers and bidets surged well over 100 percent in the January to March period while shipments of drying machines, vacuum cleaners and water purifiers also posted double-digit growth.

By country, exports of vitamins and ginseng products have increased to China while in the U.S. market, bidets are increasingly viewed as an alternative to toilet paper, which has been running low in stocks.

Korean medical devices such as thermometers and blood pressure monitors have been growing popular in Europe, which boasts a high elderly population.