South Korean exports in the first 20 days of September rose 3.6 percent from a year earlier, raising hopes for recovery in external demand.

Preliminary outbound shipments in the Sept. 1-20 period totaled $29.6 billion, up $1.02 billion from a year ago, Korea Customs Service said Monday.

Daily average exports were still down 9.8 percent. There were 15.5 working days in the cited period, two days more compared with last year.

Monthly exports have slumped since March as global demand took a hit from the coronavirus pandemic.

In the first 20 days of September, outbound shipments of wireless telecommunication devices dropped 9.1 percent, petroleum products 45.6 percent and vessels 26.5 percent.

Chip demand remained strong, fueled by the rise of online activities from the ongoing pandemic, with exports up 25.3 percent. Shipments of automobiles also jumped 38.8 percent and precision machinery 14.7 percent.

Exports to Japan dipped 18.5 percent and the Middle East 12.2 percent. Those to China rose 8.7 percent, the United States 16.1 percent, Vietnam 5.8 percent and the European Union 9.6 percent.

Imports in the same period slipped 6.8 percent to $25.1 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $4.47 billion.

Imports of crude oil dropped 29.2 percent, precision machinery 1.7 percent and gas 39.0 percent, while those of semiconductors climbed 12.6 percent, machinery 6.8 percent and automobiles 29.5 percent.

Imports from the U.S. were down 5.3 percent, Japan 10.3 percent, the Middle East 40.7 percent and Vietnam 14.6 percent. Those from China gained 2.5 percent, the EU 7.1 percent and Australia 6.0 percent.

By Kim Hyo-jin

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