The country's exports fell two-point-seven percent on-year in the first 20 days of January.

According to data by the Korea Customs Service on Saturday, outbound shipments came to 33-point-six billion dollars during the 20-day period.
  
Daily average exports posted a steeper drop of eight-point-eight percent. There were 16 business days compared to 15 last year.
 
Imports rose nine-point-three percent on-year to 43-point-eight billion dollars during the cited period, resulting in a trade deficit of ten-point-two billion dollars.

The deficit is larger than the five-point-five billion dollars recorded for the same period last year and six-point-three billion for the same period last month.

The trade deficit for the whole of 2022 posted a record high of 47-point-five billion dollars.