South Korea's trade surplus with the United States has remained in the same range as last year, despite the Trump administration's tariff policies aimed at countries against which the U.S. runs a deficit.

According to the Korea International Trade Association(KITA) on Saturday, South Korea posted a trade surplus of 13-point-38 billion U.S. dollars with the U.S. in the first quarter, slightly higher than 13-point-22 billion dollars recorded in the same period last year.

Last year's trade surplus with the U.S. had hit a record high of 55-point-63 billion dollars.

However, exports to the U.S. during the January-to-March period dropped two percent, amid uncertainties following the start of President Trump's second term in office.

Auto exports fell eleven-point-two percent on-year, while shipments of construction equipment and steel plates dropped 29-point-four and 26-point-five percent, respectively.