South Korea Unveils Fiscal Measures of 17.3 Trillion Won (US$15.4 billion)

South Korea unveiled a 17.3 trillion won ($15.4 billion) supplementary budget to support exporters pressured by a weaker Japanese currency and revive an economy that grew last year at the slowest pace since 2009.

The package will boost growth by 0.3 percentage points and create 40,000 jobs, the Finance Ministry said in a statement in Sejong. The net increase is 5.3 trillion won after covering expected revenue shortfalls, the government said. Another 2 trillion won will be available for support measures from outside the budget, it said.

The government plan may boost consumption and confidence as China’s economy shows signs of weakness and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un ratchets up threats against the U.S. and the South. A stronger won, which has risen more than 21 percent against the yen in the past six months, has hindered export-reliant companies such as Hyundai Motor Co. (005380) and Samsung Electronics Co. (005930) by making their products more expensive overseas.

Bloomberg

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