Korea's central bank revised its GDP growth upward for the first quarter.br It's just by one-tenth of a percentage point... but it still puts the country's economic expansion below the one-percent mark.br Shin Se-min has the numbers. br br br Another quarter of slowing growth... but with a slight upward revision.br The Korean economy grew half-a-percent in the first three months of this year from the previous quarter,… keeping growth in the zero-percent range again. br The Bank of Korea's initial growth estimate was at zero-point-four percent.br It's a slowdown from the fourth quarter last year, when the country logged growth of zero-point-seven percent. br In fact, GDP expansion has sat in the zero-percent range for seven quarters,… with the exception of the third quarter last year, when a government stimulus package following the MERS outbreak helped nudge figures over the one-percent mark. br The Bank of Korea attributed this to conditions that remain dismal both at home and abroad, while shedding light on the upward adjustment. br br br "Government frontloading and a 6-point-8 percent increase in construction investment helped push GDP growth up by zero-point-one percentage points." br br Korea's exports dipped over one-percent, while consumer spending,… CONTRACTED point-two percent in the first quarter.br The country's gross national income expanded two-point-seven percent. br At the same time, the savings rate shot up by nearly two-percent... meaning despite a rise in income,… more Koreans are reluctant to spend. br br br "Uncertainties in the local economy, driven by external factors have caused more households to close their wallets. That means, a lower key rate, normally designed to encourage people to take out loans won't help boost household spending." br br Experts add that a more aggressive and a long-term government policy to help prop up spending is needed,… instead of a stimulus package that only has limited effects.