SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- South Korean exports are expected to maintain its longest monthly fall this month, boosting worry about the export-driven economy, customs data showed on Thursday.
For the first 10 days of August, the country's exports reached 9.7 billion U.S. dollars, up 16.4 percent from the same period of last year, according to Korea Customs Service (KCS).
It was mainly attributed to more working days. This year's August had 8.5 working days for the first 10-day period, 1.5 days higher than the same period of last year.
Excluding the effect from increased business days, overseas shipments reduced 4.2 percent for the first 10 days of this year.
Exports, which account for about half of the South Korean economy, kept a downward trend for 19 months through July. The August fall would lengthen the period of the already longest monthly downside to 20 months.
Lower crude oil prices dragged down the country's overall export recovery as it led to lower export prices of oil products.
During the cited period, exports of semiconductors, display panels, cars, auto parts and consumer electronics increase, while those for oil products tumbled 41.5 percent. Shipments of telecommunication devices such as smartphones shed 2.8 percent amid stiff competition with Chinese manufacturers.
