Korean exports rise 11.2% on-year in January

South Korea's exports rose 11.2 percent in January from a year earlier on brisk overseas sales of semiconductors and petrochemicals, the government said Wednesday.

Outbound shipments came to US$40.3 billion last month, up from $36.2 billion tallied a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

It is the first time in four years since January 2013 that the nation's exports have posted a double-digit growth. For the first time in two years and nine months since April 2014, the monthly export volume also expanded for three months in a row.

Imports expanded 18.6 percent on-year to $37.1 billion in January.

January's trade surplus came to $3.2 billion, marking the 60th consecutive month of a surplus. (Yonhap)