Daily Times

South Korea’s export logged a double-digit growth for the first 10 days of January due to the continued global demand recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, customs office data showed on Tuesday. Export, which accounts for about half of the export-driven economy, came to 13.9 billion US dollars from Jan 1 to Jan 10, up 24.4 percent from the same period of last year, according to Korea Customs Service. Semiconductor export advanced 23.3 percent, and oil products shipment more than doubled in the 10-day period. Export for automobiles and precision machinery gained more than 20 percent, but shipment of telecommunication devices such as smartphones tumbled 51 percent. Export to China, South Korea’s biggest trading partner, expanded 22.6 percent for the first 10 days of this month, with those to the United States and Vietnam increasing 35.1 percent and 17.3 percent each. Import soared 57.1 percent over the year to 18.9 billion dollars during the 10-day period.