South Korea's export topped 50 billion U.S. dollars for seven months through November on robust demand for locally-made semiconductors and higher export price for oil products, the government report showed Saturday.

Export, which accounts for about half of the export-driven economy, gained 4.5 percent from a year earlier to 51.92 U.S. dollars in November, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

It logged the third-largest monthly figure since the data began to be compiled in 1956, surpassing 50 billion dollars for the seventh consecutive month for the first time.

Import advanced 11.4 percent over the year to 46.78 billion dollars in November, sending the trade surplus to 5.14 billion dollars. The trade balance stayed in the black for 82 months in a row.

The daily average export grew 4.5 percent to 2.16 billion dollars in the cited period, marking the biggest November reading in the country's history.

The export price climbed 4 percent on higher prices for oil product, steel and home appliances, while export volume rose 0.5 percent on demand for general machinery, ship and automobile that offset soft demand for petrochemicals and computer.

For the first 11 months of this year, the export reached a new high of 557.2 billion dollars, up 6.2 percent from the same period of last year.

During the 11-month period, the daily average export grew 6 percent to 2.25 billion dollars, the highest ever posted by the Asia's fourth-largest economy.

Import expanded 12.9 percent over the year to 491 billion dollars in the January-November period, generating the trade surplus of 66.2 billion dollars.

The November export, which exceeded 50 billion dollars, came from the continued demand for locally-made chips and higher oil product price, caused by expensive crude oil.

Semiconductor export advanced 11.6 percent over the year to 10.68 billion dollars in November, topping 10 billion dollars for the seventh consecutive month.

Outbound shipment for oil product jumped 23.5 percent to 4.22 billion dollars, surpassing 3 billion dollars for the 13th straight month. Petrochemical export topped 4 billion dollars for 12 months in a row.

Ship export turned upward for the first time in nine months, while general machinery shipment exceeded 4 billion dollars for nine straight months for the first time.

In November, auto export reduced 2 percent from a year earlier on the back of weak demand from the Middle East and the tightened environment regulation in Europe. Auto parts shipment fell 0.5 percent in November, after surging 36.8 percent in the previous month.

Display panel shipment declined 10 percent last month on lower LCD panel price, while export of telecommunication devices, such as smartphone, plunged 42.2 percent as local manufacturers increased production in overseas plants.

Computer export shrank 10.8 percent, and shipment for home appliances slumped 16.8 percent on stiff competition with U.S., European and Chinese rivals.

By region, South Korea's export to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) increased 13 percent from a year earlier to 9.41 billion dollars in November. It marked the country's biggest shipment to the region.

Exports to the United States, the European Union (EU), Japan and Vietnam rose for two months in a row, with those to India growing for the third consecutive month.

Shipment to China, South Korea's biggest trading partner, fell 2.5 percent in November, after rising 17.6 percent in the previous month on weak demand for display panel and smartphone.