Exports rose over 14 percent on-year in the first 20 days of July.

According to tentative data from the Korea Customs Service on Thursday, the country’s outbound shipments stood at 37-point-two billion U.S. dollars in the cited period, up 14-point-five percent from a year earlier.

Average daily exports also rose by 14-point-five percent, with the number of working days unchanged from last year at 15-point-five.

Shipments of semiconductors grew 13-point-two percent and exports of petroleum products jumped 109-point-seven percent, while exports of wireless communication devices and precision machinery slipped 12-point-two percent and two-point-four percent, respectively.

Exports to the United States and the European Union increased 19-point-seven percent and 18-point-one, respectively, while outbound commodities to China and Japan dropped two-point-five percent and two-point-six percent each.

Imports rose 25-point-four percent on-year to 45-point-three billion dollars during the cited period, with the growth of imports on track to surpass the gain in exports for the 13th consecutive month since June of last year.

The nation posted a trade deficit of eight-point-12 billion dollars during the first 20 days of July, compared to a deficit of three-point-63 billion dollars logged a year earlier.