Exports dip 15.2 pct during first 10 days of October on fewer working days

Korea's exports went down 15.2 percent from a year earlier in the first 10 days of October, data showed Monday, mainly due to fewer working days stemming from the extended Chuseok holiday. Outbound shipments reached $13 billion in the Oct. 1-10 period, compared with $15.3 billion tallied a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. The decline was largely attributed to the long Chuseok holiday, which this year extended through last Thursday, reducing the number of working days to 3 1/2, compared with 5 1/2 days in the same period last year, the agency said. Despite the overall drop, average daily exports jumped 33.2 percent on-year, the data showed. Imports dropped 22.8 percent on-year to $13.5 billion during the period, resulting in a trade deficit of $500 million. By item, exports of semiconductors surged 47 percent from a year earlier to $4.5 billion. Chip exports accounted for 34.7 percent of the country's total exports over the cited period, up 14.7 percentage points from the same period last year. By destination, exports to the United States plummeted 43.4 peWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times