SEOUL, 11th July, 2025 (WAM) -- The Republic of Korea's exports gained 9.5 percent from a year earlier in the first 10 days of July, data showed Friday.
Outbound shipments reached US$19.4 billion in the 1st to 10th July period, compared with $17.72 billion tallied a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.
The daily average volume of exports advanced 9.5 percent on-year to $2.28 billion. Imports went up 1.8 percent on-year to $19.99 billion over the cited period, resulting in a trade deficit of $594 million, the data showed.
The rise in exports was driven by strong demand for semiconductors and automobiles.
Exports of chips climbed 12.8 percent from a year earlier to $3.83 billion. Semiconductor exports accounted for 19.7 percent of the country's total exports in the 10-day period, up 0.6 percentage point from the same period last year.
Automobile exports jumped 13.3 percent on-year to $1.8 billion, while shipments of vessels spiked 134.9 percent to $889 million.
Exports of steel products added 4.1 percent to $1.29 billion, while those of petrochemical products shed 1.9 percent to $1.39 billion.
By destination, exports to China, Korea's top trading partner, went up 6.2 percent to $3.74 billion. Exports to the United States also increased 6.1 percent on-year to $3.43 billion despite Washington's new tariff measures.
Shipments to the European Union and Vietnam rose 3.6 percent and 2.2 percent on-year, respectively.
In June, exports rose 4.3 percent from a year earlier to $59.8 billion, marking the highest for any June, on the back of strong global demand for semiconductors, government data showed.