Exports Drive South Korea's Return to GDP Growth in 1Q

South Korea’s economy returned to growth in the first three months of this year, buoyed by an ongoing exports recovery and corporate investment.

The export sector led the return to expansion, with growth reflected in Samsung Electronics Co.’s announcement Thursday that its earnings topped estimates, thanks to booming shipments of memory chips. The Bank of Korea and the government both expect 3 percent GDP growth this year. Yet employment and consumption have been lackluster, and contained inflation will likely mean the central bank remains cautious about raising borrowing costs.