[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s exports plunged 17 percent in the first 20 days of September from a year earlier, the latest customs data showed on Sept. 21.

Outbound shipments totaled US$22.9 billion between Sept. 1-20, down from $27.6 billion tallied over the same period last year, according to the Korea Customs Service.

“Working days shrank three days compared with the same period a year earlier due to the Chuseok holiday. Considering this fact, actual exports jumped 2.9 percent on-year,” the KCS said.

Exports of semiconductors fell 7.2 percent on-year during the same period, and those of steel plunged 15.5 percent, the data showed.

The latest figure seems to throw a cold blanket on a slight upbeat mode in August when the country’s exports rose 2.6 percent to snap their 19-month-long losing streak.

(theinvestor@heraldcorp.com)