South Korea’s exports rose sharply in the first 20 days of September, lifted by more working days even as underlying momentum weakened, government data showed Monday. The Korea Customs Service reported shipments worth $40.1 billion, up 13.5% from a year earlier, while imports climbed 9.9% to $38.2 billion, leaving a trade surplus of $1.9 billion. Adjusted for the longer working period — 16.5 days versus 13 days a year earlier — average daily exports fell 10.6%, underscoring the drag from U.S. tariffs on South Korean goods.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) statedthat semiconductors, cars and ships