Anchor: The government has assessed that economic conditions are improving compared to earlier this year. Amid such signs, South Korean carmakers saw record sales in the first quarter. 
Our Kim Eun-ji has more.
 
Report: The Ministry of Strategy and Finance announced on Friday that the nation’s economy has improved compared to an analysis issued a month earlier.
 
In its latest assessment of economic trends, the ministry said that production in the mining and manufacturing industries jumped three-point-three percent in February compared to January. That’s the sharpest rise to be posted in nearly six-and-a-half years.
 
The ministry attributed the surge to expanded demand for semiconductors following the release of new mobile devices, including the Samsung Galaxy S7 and LG G5 smartphones.
 
Service industries’ production, which had slipped one-point-three percent in January, climbed three-tenths of a percent in February.
 
Meanwhile, the nation’s seven carmakers saw record sales in the first three months of the year.
 
The seven firms, including Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors, sold a total of 368-thousand-492 cars in the country in the first quarter, posting a new record for the first quarter period.
 
The extension of individual consumer tax cuts from the end of last year to June of this year appears to have boosted consumer confidence, leading to the improved performance.
 
Exports for March, meanwhile, fell eight-point-two percent from the same period last year. However, the drop was smaller than the decline posted in January and February.
 
The ministry was, however, quick to note the slow pace of the global economy, economic uncertainties surrounding emerging countries and instability of the international financial market as potential risks for South Korea's economy.
Kim Eun-ji, KBS World Radio News.