Export, which takes up about half of the export-driven economy, amounted to 12.3 billion U.S. dollars in the May 1-10 period, up 20.2 percent from the same period of last year, according to Korea Customs Service.
It came as the number of business days gained by two days in the cited period. The daily average shipment, which excludes the working day effect, declined 9.8 percent to 1.54 billion dollars.
Import added 8.5 percent to 13.6 billion dollars in the 10-day period, sending the trade deficit to 1.3 billion dollars.
Shipment of semiconductors and telecommunication devices, such as smartphone, advanced in double figures for the first 10 days of this month compared with a year earlier.
Export of medicine and medical supplies more than doubled in the period on robust demand for locally-made test kits for the COVID-19 and other relevant medical supplies.
Export for oil products, automobiles and auto parts tumbled in double digits in the 10-day period.
Shipment to China and the United States, South Korea's top two trading partners, rose 35.7 percent and 15.1 percent each, with those to the European Union (EU) and Japan expanding 22.2 percent and 10.0 percent respectively.
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