Exports fell about one percent on-year in the first ten days of January.

According to tentative data from the Korea Customs Service on Wednesday, the country’s outbound shipments marked 13-point-86 billion dollars in the cited period, down zero-point-nine percent from a year earlier.

Average daily exports dropped by 14-point-one percent with the number of working days increasing by one day from last year to seven-point-five.

Exports of semiconductors plunged 29-point-five percent on-year during the period, while shipments of petroleum products and automobiles rose 26-point-nine percent and 51-point-seven percent, respectively.

Exports to the country's largest trading partner, China, slipped 23-point-seven percent, while shipments to the United States and the European Union each rose 17-point-six percent and 21-point-eight percent.

Imports increased six-point-three percent on-year to over 20 billion dollars during the period, resulting in a trade deficit of six-point-27 billion dollars, larger than the shortfall of four-point-95 billion dollars logged a year earlier.