The country's exports are expected to slump for the second consecutive month in February.... as uncertainties linger in the semiconductor sector... and from ongoing global trade disputes.<br />And the government is pushing up efforts to make things better before they get worse. <br />Our Kim Ji-yeon starts us off. <br />The government says it'll come up with measures by next month to revitalize Korean exports.<br />At a meeting held Wednesday, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said the country's exports for January... like last month... are expected to remain below the levels seen over the same period the previous year.<br />He cited falling prices of semiconductors, Korea's main export item, rising trade uncertainties stemming from China-U.S. trade disputes,... and the slowing growth of the global economy as the main reasons. <br /><br />"Based on the meeting, the government is to release support measures next month... tailored to exporting industries... starting with the building of foreign plants, contents, and agricultural and fisheries products."<br /><br />During the meeting, Hong also unveiled the government's plans to invest a combined 2-point-9-billion U.S. dollars this year in the ICT sector.<br />The government aims to increase the number of ICT-related jobs to more than 1-point-1-million in three years... and boost ICT exports by 20-percent from last year to 264-point-3-billion dollars by 2022.<br />Korea's trade ministry is to release figures for the country's exports for January this Friday.<br />If a slump is confirmed... it'll be the first time since 2016... that Korean exports see an on-year contraction for the second consecutive month.<br />Exports in December decreased by one-point-two-percent on-year.<br />Data released by Korea Customs Service last week showed the country's exports for the first 20 days of this month... have shrunk by 14-point-6-percent compared to the same period last year to record 25-point-7-billion dollars.<br />Kim Ji-yeon, Arirang News. <br />
