Export came in at 15.07 billion U.S. dollars in the June 1-10 period, down 12.7 percent from the same period of last year, according to the Korea Customs Service.
It came as the number of working days was reduced in the cited period due to the June 1 local elections and the June 6 Memorial Day.
Oil products shipment almost doubled in the 10-day period, but those for mobile devices, cars and auto parts sank in double digits.
Export to China, South Korea's biggest trading partner, diminished 16.2 percent for the first 10 days of this month, and those to the United States and the European Union dwindled 9.7 percent and 23.3 percent each.
Import grew 17.5 percent from a year earlier to 21.06 billion dollars during the June 1-10 period, sending the trade deficit to 5.99 billion dollars.
The faster growth in import than export was attributed to higher commodity prices.
Import for crude oil and oil products surged more than 80 percent, and coal import more than tripled in the cited period.
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