The country’s exports of information and communications technology products rose 4.5 percent in April from a year earlier on growing shipments to China and the U.S., the government said Tuesday.

Outbound shipments of ICT products came to $14.76 billion last month, compared with $14.12 billion in the same month last year, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The April figure, however, marks a 1.5 percent drop from $14.98 billion posted in the previous month.

“Overall exports of ICT products increased from the same month last year despite adverse external factors, such as worsening consumer sentiments in newly emerging countries,” the ministry said in a press release.

The ministry attributed the rise in exports to growing shipments to China and the U.S., the world’s two largest importers of South Korean ICT products.

ICT Exports to China rose 5.5 percent on-year to $7.36 billion, with shipments to the U.S. surging 12.9 percent to some $1.73 billion. ICT exports to Japan also spiked 32.1 percent to $571 million.

By products, shipments of mobile phones jumped 11.8 percent on-year to $2.45 billion, with shipments of semiconductors surging 12.4 percent to $4.84 billion, posting a double-digit on-year increase for the fifth consecutive month, according to the ministry. (Yonhap)