The file photo shows cargo ships anchored at Busan Port. (Yonhap)
South Korea's exports grew 13.1 percent on-year in the first 20 days of February on the back of demand for chips and petroleum products, customs data showed Monday.
The country's outbound shipments stood at $34.30 billion in the Feb. 1-20 period, compared with $30.34 billion a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.
Imports rose 12.9 percent on-year to $35.98 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $1.68 billion during the cited period, the data showed.
By sector, outbound shipments of memory chips, a key export item, rose 18.1 percent on-year, and exports of petroleum products surged 56 percent amid high global oil prices.
Sales of cars in overseas markets also advanced 10.9 percent during the period, according to the data.
But exports of wireless communication devices fell 17.7 percent and auto parts went down 11 percent on-year, the data showed.
By country, shipments to China, South Korea's largest trading partner, increased 12.4 percent on-year, and those to the United States and the European Union went up 7 percent and 2.8 percent, respectively.
Sales in Vietnam and Taiwan also marked double-digit on-year growth. (Yonhap)
As for inbound shipments, oil imports spiked 54.8 percent on-year, and those of chips and cars also climbed 24.9 percent and 12.4 percent, respectively, the data showed.
In January, the country's exports rose 15.2 percent on-year thanks to brisk demand for chips, but the monthly trade deficit hit a record high of $4.89 billion due to high energy prices, according to government data.
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