Seoul: South Korea's exports declined 2.3 percent from a year earlier in the first 10 days of January, data showed Monday. Outbound shipments reached US$15.55 billion during the Jan. 1-10 period, compared with $15.92 billion from the same period last year.

According to Yonhap News Agency, imports decreased 4.5 percent on-year to $18.21 billion, leading to a trade deficit of $2.7 billion. The data was provided by the Korea Customs Service, highlighting the economic challenges faced in the early days of the year. The decline in both exports and imports suggests a cautious start to the year for South Korea's trade sector.