Anchor: Four out of ten startups in South Korea are forced to close their doors within just one year. However, signs that business conditions are improving have emerged as the one-year survival rate of startups rose slightly for the first time in five years.
Our Bae Joo-yon has more.
 
Report: According to a report released by Statistics Korea, four out of ten startups were found to have closed within just one year in 2013.
 
The report, however, found that the one-year survival rate of new startups was up one percentage point from the previous year, at 60-point-one percent. The rate has grown for the first time in five years after having witnessed a continuous decline since standing at nearly 62 percent in 2008.
 
According to the report, 840-thousand-three startups were launched last year, up 12-point-six percent from a year ago.
 
The number of employees in the new startups grew a little over 12 percent to stand at roughly one-point-35 million.
 
The firms accounted for roughly 15 percent of all active companies last year, up one-point-three percentage points from 2013.
 
Meanwhile, the report also found that in 2013, 664-thousand businesses were shuttered, down ten-point-four percent from the previous year. The number of employees at those businesses also shrank a little over eight percent to 970-thousand.
 
As a result, the total number of active businesses last year amounted to nearly five-point-56 million, up three-point-four percent from a year ago.
 
The report found that the one-year survival rate for transportation firms and manufacturers was high while that of arts, sports and leisure-related businesses, restaurants and lodgings was low.
 
The statistics agency said the one-year survival rate for startups rose slightly thanks to improved business conditions. However, the agency also noted that the number of businesses witnessing high growth declined.
Bae Joo-yon, KBS World Radio News.