SEOUL: South Korean exports fell slightly in the first 20 days of this month from a year earlier, customs data showed on Saturday, as its top markets including China and the euro zone have yet to show signs of turning around.
Overseas shipments by the world's seventh-largest exporter totalled $28.417 billion for the July 1-20 period while imports reached $29.707 billion, according to data the Korea Customs Service published on its website.
They represent a 4.5 percent drop in export value from the same period of last year and a 1.5 percent fall in imports, while the trade balance scored a deficit of $1.29 billion, Thomson Reuters calculation shows.
The customs agency provided no details except for the total value of exports and imports registered for the 20 days.
The Ministry of Knowledge Economy releases monthly foreign trade data on the first day the following month, providing the first glimpse on the trade performance by the world's leading supplier of chips, cars, ships, televisions and smartphones.
South Korean exports suffered annual declines in the four of the past six months as the prolonged debt crisis in the euro zone sapped demand from the region at a time when China is still struggling to shore up consumption and investment.
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