Exports edge up 1.2% in first 20 days of October

South Korea's exports edged up 1.2 percent in the first 20 days of October from a year earlier, the latest customs data showed Friday.

The country's exports totaled $24.99 billion on Oct. 1-20, up from $24.7 billion tallied over the same period last year, according to the Korea Customs Service.

It turned around from an 18.2 percent plunge tallied over the first 10 days of the month.

A rise in the semiconductor and shipbuilding sectors led the rebound, with exports of chips gaining 2.5 percent on-year and those of vessels soaring 52.4 percent over the 20-day period, KCS officials said.

However, shipments of cars and wireless devices tumbled 15.6 percent and 28.1 percent, respectively, due to partial strikes at major carmakers, including industry leader Hyundai Motor Co., and the worldwide recall and production halt of Samsung Electronics Co.'s Galaxy Note 7.

Asia's fourth-largest economy saw its exports, the key economic driver, fall 5.9 percent in September, following a 2.6 percent gain in August to end the record-long losing streak for the first time in 20 months. (Yonhap)