Overseas sales last month by Asia's fourth-largest economy rose 5.1% year-on-year to $55.09 billion, trade data showed on Wednesday. By destination, exports to the United States gained 17.3%, the most since May 2022, while China-bound shipments fell 9.5%, the least in 13 months. Exports of cars rose 19.8%, extending gains to a 16th straight month, while petroleum products also jumped 18.0%, after seven straight months of decline. Semiconductor shipments fell for the 15th consecutive month, but the 3.1% drop in October was the smallest in the streak. In October, South Korea's factory activity contracted for the 16th straight month, but the decline in new export orders softened, another survey showed on Wednesday.

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Persons: Lee Jae, Asia's, Lee Jeong, Jihoon Lee, Christian Schmollinger, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Sonali Paul Organizations: Busan New, REUTERS, Rights, Overseas, United States, Eugene Investment Securities, Trade, Thomson Locations: Busan, Busan New Port, Seoul, Rights SEOUL, United States, China, United, Israel, South