Exports log 6.8% year-on-year gain during first 20 days of December

Korea's exports grew 6.8 percent from a year earlier in the first 20 days of this month, data showed Monday. Outbound shipments reached $43 billion in the Dec. 1 to 20 period, compared with $40 billion tallied over the same period last year, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. Imports inched up 0.7 percent year-on-year to $39.2 billion during the period, resulting in a trade surplus of $3.8 billion. In November, exports grew 8.4 percent from a year earlier to $61 billion, marking the sixth consecutive month of increase on the back of strong demand for semiconductors.