9월 산업생산 2.3%↑•소비 1.7%↑•설비투자 7.4%↑<br /><br />We start with some much-needed upbeat economic news.<br />South Korea in September saw an improvement in factory output, private consumption and corporate investment.<br />All three are major indicators that often help policymakers forecast where an economy is headed.<br />Kim Sung-min reports.<br />The latest economic indicators suggest South Korea is close to re-entering a recovery phase from the pandemic-induced slump.<br />The country's overall industrial output, consumption and investment all edged up for the first time in three months,...due in part to improved exports.<br />Statistics Korea said on Friday that the country's overall industrial output was up 2-point-3 percent in September from the previous month.<br />Manufacturing production jumped almost 6 percent mainly driven by automobiles, electronic parts and semiconductors.<br />The bumper figure for industrial output can be attributed to improvements in exports,...which saw an on-year increase of 7-point-7 percent.<br />Semiconductors, general machinery and automobiles were the major exports.<br />Retail sales, which show the consumption trend, saw a 1-point-7 percent increase, mostly on food and clothing.<br />Facility investment also edged up 7-point-4 percent,... posting the biggest increase in six months.<br />An increase of 34 percent in transport equipment largely contributed to the positive figure.<br />After the release of the figures, Finance minister Hong Nam-ki said the "triple improvement" of production, consumption and investment means the South Korean economy can expect a bright forecast for the fourth quarter.<br />Kim Sung-min, Arirang News.<br />
