(LEAD) S. Korea's exports drop 18.6 pct in first 10 days of April amid virus fallout

(ATTN: UPDATES with details throughout)

SEOUL, April 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports fell sharply from a year earlier in the first 10 days of April amid the economic fallout from the new coronavirus, customs data showed Monday.

The country's outbound shipments came to US$12.2 billion in the April 1-10 period, down 18.6 percent from the same period a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.

The daily average exports during the cited period also slipped 18.6 percent on-year.

The data came amid growing concerns that the coronavirus pandemic is denting exports by South Korea.

The new coronavirus has disrupted trade and halted production around the globe, with a rising number of countries fully shutting down their borders.

By segment, exports of memory chips, a key item, fell 1.5 percent, and those of automobiles also declined 7.1 percent over the 10-day period from a year earlier.

By country, shipments to China dropped 10.2 percent on-year, while shipments to the United States fell 3.4 percent.

kdh@yna.co.kr
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