Exports increased about seven percent from a year earlier in the first 20 days of August.
 
According to preliminary data from the Korea Customs Service on Thursday, the country’s outbound shipments reached 35-point-five billion U.S. dollars during the cited period, up seven-point-six percent from a year earlier.

Average daily exports also rose seven-point-six percent, with the number of working days the same as last year at 14 and a half.

Exports remained strong in major sectors, with semiconductor shipments increasing nearly 30 percent and auto exports rising 21-point-seven percent from a year earlier.

However, exports to the United States declined two-point-seven percent on-year to five billion dollars. 

Shipments to China and the European Union increased two-point-seven percent and zero-point-one percent, respectively. 

Imports increased zero-point-four percent year-on-year to 34-point-seven billion dollars, resulting in a trade surplus of 800 million dollars.