SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's exports fell for the first days of this month on less business days, customs data showed Monday.
Exports, which account for about half of the export-driven economy, came in at 12.3 billion U.S. dollars during the Sept. 1-10 period, down 8.7 percent from the same period of last year, according to Korea Customs Service.
The exports continued to grow for 10 months through August.
The exports decline in early September was attributed to less working days compared with a year ago. During the Sept. 1-10 period, the number of business days was seven, a day lower than the same period of last year.
The daily average exports stood at 1.76 billion dollars in the cited period, up 4.4 percent from a year earlier.
Exports of semiconductors jumped 42.9 percent in the period, with those for oil product and automobiles increasing 15 percent and 13.7 percent respectively.
Shipments of telecommunications device, including smartphones, tumbled 18.7 percent on the growing production in overseas factories, while auto parts shipments plunged 37.6 percent.
Exports to Vietnam advanced 26.9 percent, but those to China and the United States, South Korea's top two trading partners, shed 2.8 percent and 5.2 percent respectively.
Imports lost 3.4 percent over the year to 11.9 billion dollars for the first 10 days of this month, sending the trade surplus to 400 million dollars.
