Reuters on Sept. 28 said Korea's exports this month were likely to increase for the first time in seven months. (Yonhap News)

By Lee Kyoung Mi and Lee Jihae

Korea's exports this month are likely to see their first increase in seven months, Reuters said on Sept. 28.

The U.K.-based wire service cited as reasons for the rise more working days than last year and the stockpiling of semiconductors by China's Huawei Technologies ahead of U.S. sanctions.

Park Sang-hyun, chief economist of Hi Investment & Securities in Seoul, was quoted as saying, "Exports will likely post growth for the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak due to more working days, pre-orders ahead of the Chuseok holiday and Huawei's chip stockpiling." 

The report, however, also mentioned economists' worry that a coronavirus resurgence at home and abroad could put the brakes on export recovery.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said exports over the past six months have steadily declined since reaching USD 46.91 billion in March, with last month seeing USD 39.66 billion.