Exports rose nearly seven percent year-on-year in the first 20 days of December on the back of robust shipments of semiconductors.

According to preliminary data from the Korea Customs Service on Monday, the country’s outbound shipments reached 40-point-three billion U.S. dollars during the cited period, up six-point-eight percent from a year earlier.

Average daily exports increased by three-point-five percent, or two-point-52 billion dollars, with the number of working days increasing by half a day from a year ago to 16. 

Exports of semiconductors rose 23-point-four percent, while shipments of automobiles and petroleum products decreased zero-point-two percent and 14-point-six percent, respectively.

Outbound shipments to China and the United States increased 12-point-four percent and six percent, respectively, but shipments to Hong Kong fell by ten percent.

Imports rose seven-point-five percent year-on-year to 39 billion dollars during the 20-day period, resulting in a trade surplus of one-point-34 billion dollars.