Economic Recovery

[Anchor Lead]

The Korean economy has been showing the signs of recovery in terms of exports, production and consumption. The job market also seems to be improving. Last month, the number of people who landed jobs recorded the largest increase in one year and three months.

[Pkg]

Painting robots, which made headlines worldwide, and self-feeding robots, which have been successfully commercialized, are all equipped with joints that were developed by a small Korean firm. The company's exports have grown 20 percent annually, while the number of jobs it can offer has doubled in just five years.

[Soundbite] Kim Jin-wook(Employee at Robotis) : "Small firms also need talent. I want to explore the global market hand in hand with my company."

As a result of job creation at small promising firms, a decrease in the number of jobs in the manufacturing sector, which had been on the decline for nearly nine consecutive months, has slowed down. The overall number of jobs has surged by 466,000. It's the largest increase in one year and three months. The nation's job market is finally showing the signs of a recovery on stronger exports and production. It is also regarded as a sign of an economic rebound. However, some say it's still too early to rest assured. The number of those who gave up on job-seeking stood at 468,000 last month, the largest March figure thus far.

[Soundbite] Prof. Sung Tae-yun(Yonsei Univ.) : "The recovery in the labor market stems from an increase in the number of workers of an older age rather than from an improvement in the overall job market."

It remains to be seen whether the job market will continue to grow after overcoming numerous obstacles.