South Korea's exports increased for the fourth consecutive month in September, despite the current impasse in tariff talks with the United States.  

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Wednesday, outbound shipments totaled 65-point-95 billion U.S. dollars last month, up 12-point-seven percent from a year earlier.

Shipments of semiconductors, the country’s top export, jumped 22 percent year-on-year to hit a record 16-point-six billion dollars in September.

Automobile exports also rose 16-point-eight percent on-year to six-point-four billion dollars last month, the highest for September.

Exports to the U.S. declined one-point-four percent year-over-year in September due to the nation’s new tariffs, and shipments to China turned around to post an increase of zero-point-five percent.

Imports rose eight-point-two percent on-year to 56-point-four billion dollars, resulting in a trade surplus of nine-point-56 billion dollars.