Korea Exports Dip as US Tariffs Outweigh Extra Working Days

South Korea’s exports declined as the impact of sweeping US tariffs outweighed the benefit of more working days in the month, underscoring the toll of protectionist trade policies in data that also highlighted distortions from holidays.

Exports adjusted for working-day differences fell 6.1% in September from a year earlier. Headline exports climbed 12.7%, following a 1.2% gain in August. Imports increased 8.2%, resulting in a trade surplus of $9.6 billion.