South Korean economy grew 0.9 percent in the first quarter from three months earlier due mainly to the front-loaded fiscal spending, a data released by the central bank showed Thursday.

Real gross domestic product (GDP), the broadest measure of economic performance, expanded 0.9 percent in the first quarter from three months before, unchanged from a preliminary estimate of a 0.9 percent growth unveiled around a month earlier, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).

From a year earlier, the real GDP grew 2.8 percent during the January-March period, unchanged from a previous estimate of 2.8 percent growth.

The first-quarter growth accelerated from a 0.3 percent on- quarter gain tallied in the fourth quarter of last year. The faster gain was attributed to the front-loaded fiscal expenditure that had positive ripple effects on the economy in the first quarter. The South Korean government planned to spend 60 percent of its 2012 budget in the first half as part of efforts to respond proactively to the potential global economic slowdown.

By industry, manufacturing activities grew 2 percent on- quarter in the first quarter, a turnaround from a 0.3 percent on- quarter contraction in the previous quarter.

Business activities in the construction sector retreated 1.7 percent during the January-March period, worsening from a 0.2 percent on-quarter declined tallied in the prior quarter.

Service industry advanced 1.1 percent on-quarter in the first quarter, up from a 0.7 percent on-quarter expansion in the fourth quarter of last year.

Private consumption grew 1 percent on-quarter in the first quarter, while government expenditures expanded 3.4 percent over the cited period, a rebound from a 0.8 percent on-quarter contraction in the previous quarter.

Facilities investment jumped 10.3 percent in the first quarter from three months earlier, a rebound from a 4.3 percent on-quarter contraction in the previous quarter, but investment in the construction sector retreated 1.2 percent over the cited period.

Exports of goods expanded 4.2 percent during the January-March period from three months before, while imports advanced 4 percent over the same period.