South Korea's exports to its three key markets rose in June from a year earlier, the trade ministry said, even as overall shipments for the month declined. Shipments to China rose by 5.4 percent from a year earlier in June, while exports to the United States grew by 5.7 percent. Shipments to the European Union rose by 13.1 percent. Exports to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries during June remained unchanged from a year ago, however, while shipments to Japan shrank by 16.6 percent due to the effects of the yen's depreciation. For the first half of 2013, exports grew by an annual 0.6 percent. The trade ministry said it expects exports growth to pick up in the second half but flagged the U.S. Federal Reserve's tapering of its bond-buying program, a potential slowdown in China and exchange-rate volatility as risks. (Reuters)