SEOUL, May 15 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's exports kept rising in early May despite fewer business days, caused by a presidential by-election, customs office data showed Monday.
Exports, which account for about half of the economy, reached 9.7 billion U.S. dollars for the first 10 days of May, up 4.5 percent from the same period of last year, according to the Korea Customs Service.
The country's exports maintained a double-digit increase for four months through April when the exports jumped 24.2 percent on a yearly basis.
The continued growth came despite fewer business days stemming from the May Day and the Buddha's Birthday. The May 9 presidential election day was designated as a temporary holiday.
Excluding the working days, the daily average exports amounted to 2.16 billion dollars, up 27.7 percent from the same period of last year.
During the May 1-10 period, oil products exports more than doubled compared with a year earlier, with those for semiconductors logging a double-digit increase. However, exports of auto parts and smartphones declined in the cited period.
Exports to Vietnam jumped 61.7 percent, with those to Japan and the European Union registering a double-digit expansion. Shipments to China rose 3.2 percent, but those to the United States reduced 10 percent.
For the first 10 days of this month, imports advanced 12.2 percent over the year to 11.3 billion dollars. It sent the trade balance to a deficit of 1.6 billion dollars.
