Operating profits and investment at Korea's biggest companies... were down around 30 percent in the first quarter this year.<br />According to corporate tracker CEO Score, the combined operating profits of 59 business groups came to around 20-point-5 billion U.S. dollars.<br />That's down 32-point-4 percent on-year.<br />Investment also fell by more than 30 percent.<br />As for why, analysts say it was weak sales of semiconductors by Samsung and SK hynix.<br />On a brighter note, employment increased slightly... mainly thanks to the government's job policies. <br />
