South Korea's exports posted growth for the third consecutive month in January.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said on Monday that the country's outbound shipments came to 48 billion U.S. dollars last month, up eleven-point-four percent from a year earlier. 

Exports posted double-digit growth for the second straight month in January, the first time in 40 months since August and September in 2017. 

Exports also grew for the third consecutive month following a rise of four percent in November last year and 12-point-six percent in December. 

Daily average exports also jumped by six-point-four percent to two-point-13 billion dollars, marking the highest number for the month of January.

Twelve out of South Korea's 15 staple export items increased shipments last month including six related to information technology such as semiconductors and displays.