Seoul: The Republic of Korea's exports surged 49.4 percent from a year earlier in the first 20 days of this month, driven by strong demand for semiconductors, data showed Tuesday. Outbound shipments reached US$50.4 billion in the period from 1st to 20th April, compared with $33.7 billion tallied over the same period last year, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.
According to Emirates News Agency, the tally marked the highest figure for the first 20 days of April. Imports increased 17.7 percent on-year to $39.9 billion during the period, resulting in a trade surplus of $10.4 billion, the data showed. Semiconductor exports spiked 182.5 percent on-year to $18.3 billion during the period, while outbound shipments of computers and related equipment soared 399 percent to $2.2 billion.