The global economic slowdown is hitting Korea's exports hard as demand dropped in the first half of this year.

The Korea Customs Service said on Sunday that the nation's exports to the European Union plunged more than 16 percent in the first six months from a year ago. Shipments to China during the same period edged down 1.5 percent.

The customs agency noted, however, that the trade surplus rose to a 21-month high last month because the large drop in imports exceeded the fall in exports.