S. Korea's exports set to dip for 10th month in Sept.

By Kim Kwang-tae

SEJONG, Sept. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports fell 21.8 percent in the first 20 days of September, mainly due to reduced working days, customs data showed Monday.

The country's exports stood at US$28.5 billion in the Sept. 1-20 period, compared with $36.5 billion in the same period last year, according to the Korea Customs Service.

The number of working days in September declined due to the Chuseok holiday, the Korean autumn harvest celebration.

By product, exports of semiconductors and petroleum products fell 39.8 percent and 20.4 percent, respectively.

Meanwhile, outbound shipments of vessels and wireless communications devices rose 43.2 percent and 58 percent, respectively.

South Korea imported goods worth $26.9 billion in the 20-day period, down 11.1 percent from a year earlier.

The country's exports plunged 13.6 percent on-year in August, extending their on-year fall to a ninth consecutive month, due to the protracted trade row between the world's top two economies and a prolonged drop in chip prices.

Outbound shipments came to $44.2 billion last month, compared with the $51 billion tallied a year earlier.

entropy@yna.co.kr
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