The country's exports fell more than two percent on-year in the first 20 days of February.

According to data by the Korea Customs Service on Tuesday, outbound shipments came to 33-point-five billion dollars during the 20-day period.  

Daily average exports posted a steeper drop of 14-point-nine percent, as the number of working days increased by two over last year to 15-point-five.

Imports rose nine-point-three percent on-year to 39-point-five billion dollars during the cited period, resulting in a trade deficit of five-point-99 billion dollars, larger than the one-point-83 billion-dollar deficit recorded for the same period last year.

Exports of automobiles and petroleum products jumped 56-point-six percent and 16-point-three percent, respectively, while shipments of semiconductors plummeted 43-point-nine on-year during the period.

Exports to the country's largest trading partner, China, fell 22-point-seven percent, while shipments to the U.S. and the European Union rose 29-point-three percent and 18 percent, respectively.