South Korea's exports dropped 22.1 percent in the first 10 days of August mainly due to decreased shipments of semiconductors, one of the country's key items, customs data showed Monday.
The country's exports stood at US$11.5 billion in the Aug. 1-10 period, according to the Korea Customs Service.
By product, exports of semiconductors and petroleum products fell 34.2 percent and 26.3 percent, respectively.
Meanwhile, outbound shipments of wireless communications devices and home appliances jumped 41.6 percent and 25.6 percent, respectively, the data showed.
South Korea's shipments to China and the United States fell 28.3 percent and 19.5 percent, respectively, indicating that the trade row between the world's two largest economies dealt a blow to Asia's fourth-largest economy.
China and the U.S. are South Korea's top two trading partners.
South Korea imported goods worth $14.2 billion in the 10-day period, also down 13.2 percent from a year earlier.
South Korea's exports decreased 11 percent in July from a year earlier, extending their on-year fall to the eighth consecutive month, amid the drawn-out trade dispute between Washington and Beijing. (Yonhap)