South Korea's industrial output recovered in the month of January on a pick-up in production in the auto and semiconductor sectors,... traditionally the key drivers of the nation's growth.<br />Kim Ji-yeon gives us the details. <br /> Industrial output of overall industries in Korea increased four-and-a-half percent in January compared to the same period last year.<br />Statistics Korea says output jumped one-point-two-percent from the previous month,... the steepest rate of increase in ten months.<br /> It attributes the spike to increased production in the auto sector, which grew more than twelve percent on-month... thanks to releases of new models and a base effect stemming from sluggish auto exports to the U.S. and the Middle East.<br /> A rebound in the auto and semiconductor sectors helped boost output in the mining and manufacturing sectors... which grew one-percent from the previous month in January... the first on-month increase in three months.<br /> Retail sales also spiked one-point-seven percent from the previous month on increased output of automobiles and durable goods.<br />A rebound in the auto sector also helped to boost facility investment which rose by more than six-percent from the previous month... the fastest rate of increase in ten months.<br /> Production in the services sector also jumped zero-point-eight-percent compared to the previous month,... mainly due to increased output in science and technology.<br />However, output in the food and lodging sectors dropped zero-point-eight percent from the previous month... declining for the fourth straight month in January.<br />Kim Ji-yeon, Arirang News. <br />
