Export, which takes up about half of the export-driven economy, amounted to 6.92 billion U.S. dollars in the May 1-May 10 period, down 46.3 percent from 12.88 billion dollars tallied a year earlier, according to Korea Customs Service.
Import tumbled 37.2 percent to 9.55 billion dollars in the period, sending the trade deficit to 2.63 billion dollars.
It came as the coronavirus pandemic roiled trade across the world. The daily average export contracted 30.2 percent in the 10-day period.
Semiconductor export retreated 17.8 percent, and shipment for telecommunication devices, such as smartphone, dropped 35.9 percent. Those for oil products and cars dived 75.6 percent and 80.4 percent each.
Export to China, South Korea's biggest trading partner, declined 29.4 percent, and those to the United States and the European Union (EU) plummeted 54.8 percent and 50.6 percent respectively.
Shipment to Vietnam, Japan and the Middle East slumped 52.2 percent, 48.4 percent and 27.3 percent each in the 10-day period.
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