Exports increased nearly five percent on-year in the first 20 days of October.

According to preliminary data from the Korea Customs Service on Monday, the country’s outbound shipments marked 33-point-83 billion dollars in the cited period, up four-point-six percent on-year.

Average daily exports increased by eight-point-six percent, considering a slight decrease in the number of working days by half a day at 13.

With the country logging monthly exports decline for a year since October of last year, a rebound to a surplus this month would be the first growth in 13 months. 

Exports of semiconductors dropped six-point-four percent on-year, while shipments of automobiles and petroleum products rose 24-point-seven percent and 14-point-five percent, respectively.

Outbound shipments to the U.S. and Japan increased 12-point-seven percent and 20 percent, each, while exports to China decreased six-point-one percent, falling for the 16th straight month.

Imports increased zero-point-six percent on-year to 37-point-58 billion dollars during the same period, resulting in a trade deficit of three-point-74 billion dollars, much larger than the 488 million-dollar shortfall logged a month earlier.