Seoul: South Korea's exports shrank 2.2 percent from a year earlier in the first 20 days of this month, data showed Monday. Outbound shipments reached US$36.1 billion in the July 1-20 period, compared with $36.9 billion tallied over the same period last year, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.

According to Yonhap News Agency, imports decreased 4.3 percent on-year to $35.6 billion during the period. This led to a trade surplus of $500 million. The data indicates a continued trend in South Korea's trade dynamics, with both exports and imports experiencing declines in the given timeframe.