Exports increased more than ten percent in the first 20 days of April on the back of strong exports of semiconductors.

According to preliminary data from the Korea Customs Service on Monday, the country’s outbound shipments marked 35-point-eight billion U.S. dollars in the cited period, up eleven-point-one percent year-on-year.

Average daily exports also increased eleven-point-one percent to two-point-31 billion dollars. 

The rise was led by robust exports of semiconductors, which jumped 43 percent during the period. Shipments of automobiles and petroleum products also increased 12-point-eight percent and 14-point-eight percent, respectively, while exports of ships decreased 16-point-seven percent. 

Imports rose six-point-one percent from the same period last year to around 38-point-five billion dollars during the period, resulting in a trade deficit of two-point-64 billion dollars.