Seoul: South Korea's exports have marked an on-year increase for the 14th consecutive month in November, driven by robust shipments of semiconductors. Outbound shipments saw a rise of 1.4 percent from the previous year, reaching US$56.3 billion last month, as reported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. According to Yonhap News Agency, despite the extended growth in exports, the pace has been tapering since August. While South Korea's exports grew by 13.5 percent in July, the growth rate declined to 10.9 percent in August, 7.1 percent in September, and 4.6 percent in October. Meanwhile, imports decreased by 2.4 percent on-year to $50.7 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $5.61 billion, marking the 18th consecutive month of maintaining a trade surplus. Semiconductor exports surged 30.8 percent to $12.5 billion, achieving the highest figure for any November and setting a new monthly high for four consecutive months. In contrast, automobile exports dropped by 13.6 percent to $5.6 billion due to production disruptions from a strike by major auto parts makers and adverse weather conditions affecting shipments. Exports in the petroleum and petrochemical sectors fell by 18.7 percent and 5.6 percent, respectively, attributed to declining crude prices. However, the biohealth industry showed a 19.6 percent increase, reaching $1.4 billion, continuing its growth trend for five months. Ship exports experienced a significant rise of 70.8 percent, totaling $2.5 billion. On a regional level, exports to China, South Korea's largest trading partner, slightly decreased by 0.6 percent, while exports to the United States declined by 5.1 percent. Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun acknowledged the challenges faced in November, citing the auto parts makers' strike and weather conditions as factors impacting exports. Nonetheless, he emphasized the continued export growth and trade surplus, supported by strong performances in key sectors like semiconductors and shipbuilding.