韓国経済:ＧＤＰ増加０・９％

A few weeks ago the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

韓国経済「実感なき成長」…ＧＤＰ０・９％増

2014年04月24日 20時02分

　韓国銀行（中央銀行）が２４日発表した韓国の１～３月期の国内総生産（ＧＤＰ、速報値）は、実質成長率が前期比０・９％増だった。

　韓銀は四半期の年率換算成長率を発表しないが、年率では３・８％程度とみられる。設備投資は５期ぶりのマイナスに転じたが、住宅建設が好調で、緩やかな回復を維持した。

　建設投資は、住宅用が前期の５・２％減から４・８％増に転じた。住宅販売が低金利の融資制度などを受けて好調だったためだ。ＧＤＰの５割を占める輸出は１・７％増（前期１・４％増）で、スマートフォンなどが堅調だった。

　一方、設備投資は１・３％減だった。民間消費は暖冬による燃料費の落ち込みなどで、伸び率が前期の０・６％増から０・３％増にとどまった。

　韓国政府は、欧米など先進国向けの輸出が伸びるとみて、１４年のＧＤＰを３・９％増と予測している。１３年実績（２・８％増）に比べて経済は回復基調にある。しかし、１３年１～９月の輸出額は前年同期比で２・７％増だったが、サムスングループを除くと３・６％減だったとの試算もある。中小企業の育成は進んでおらず、「韓国経済はサムスン電子に頼っており、実感なき成長に陥っている」（金融関係者）との声も出ている。

(試譯文)

   The Bank of Korea (the Central bank) announced on the 24th (April) that the real growth rate, the gross domestic product (GDP, preliminary figures) for the term January to March for South Korea was a 0.9% increase compared with the previous term.

   Although the South Korean Bank did not announce the annually-adjusted growth rate for the quarter, it put the annual rate at about 3.8%. Although capital investment changed to a minus for the first time in five terms, housing construction was good and a slow recovery was maintained.

   In construction investment, those aiming at residences had changed from a 5.2% decrease in the preceding period to a 4.8% increase. Housing sale was good in response to the low interest rate lending facility etc. The export which occupied 50 percent of the GDP had an increase of 1.7% (preceding quarter was an increase of 1.4%), and its smart phones etc. were steady.

   On the other hand, capital investment was a 1.3% decrease. In private consumption, due to a warm winter the fuel expenses had a decrease etc. The pace of expansion remained on the increase of 0.3%, from the 0.6% increase of the preceding period.

   The South Korean government concluded that the export to advanced nations, such as the West, was extended, and predicted that the GDP for 2014 would be an increase of 3.9%. Compared with the track record for 2013 (an increase of 2.8%), the economy was showing a sign of recovery. However, although the export value in 2013 January to September was an increase of 2.7% compared with the corresponding period last year, when the Samsung Group was removed from a trial calculation, it was a 3.6% decrease. In small and medium-sized enterprises training did not progress, yet an opinion (from the financial industry insider) that "South Korean economy is depending on the Samsung Electronics, and it has fallen into growth that cannot be felt" had also come out.

It is worrying to note that economic expansion in South Korea is depending on the Samsung Electronics alone.