President Moon Jae-in urged officials to continue efforts toward economic recovery, citing the momentum from the third quarter.

Moon made the call at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, when referring to the preliminary growth rate for the July to September period reaching two-point-one percent, marking the first expansion since the start of COVID-19 pandemic.

The president cited achievements in COVID-19 quarantine, the government's active financial policies and his Korean New Deal initiative as factors that led to the economic rebound.

He also mentioned growth in exports, which returned to positive territory in November both in terms of the daily average and the overall expansion for the first time in 24 months.

The president then expected the economy to overcome the COVID-19 crisis and begin to normalize during the first half of next year so long as the momentum continues.

Casting concerns over the recent resurgence of the virus, however, Moon asked the ministries to mobilize efforts toward achieving both quarantine and economic recovery.