South Korea's exports surged by 18.8 percent year-on-year in the first 20 days of July, driven by strong performances in the chip and automotive sectors. Data from the Korea Customs Service revealed that outbound shipments totaled $37.17 billion during this period, marking a significant increase from the $31.2 billion recorded a year earlier. However, imports also grew by 14.2 percent to $37.2 billion, resulting in a narrow trade deficit of $50 million. Semiconductor exports experienced a substantial increase of 57.5 percent, reaching $6.7 billion, while automobile exports rose by 1.8 percent to $3.49 billion. Notably, exports of petroleum, steel products, and auto parts also performed well. Conversely, exports of mobile devices and ships declined by 1.3 percent and 49.1 percent, respectively. In terms of destinations, exports to China, the United States, and the European Union saw significant growth, with shipments to China soaring by 20.4 percent to $7.65 billion. In June, South Korea's exports continued to show positive momentum, increasing by 5.1 percent year-on-year to $57 billion. This growth was largely driven by a substantial surge of 50.9 percent in chip exports, reaching an all-time monthly high, according to government data.