First vice finance minister Bang Ki-sun has projected that the nation’s economic and livelihood hardships will deepen in the first half of next year.

Bang unveiled the forecast on Friday during an emergency meeting of economy-related vice ministers.

He said the government will prioritize the stable management of macroeconomic affairs, including stabilizing the financial and real estate markets, and restore people’s livelihoods by stabilizing prices and creating more jobs and safety nets by the first quarter of next year.

The vice minister added that the government will aim to revitalize exports, smoothly devise structural reforms of the labor, education and pension systems, and innovate the finance, service and public sectors.

Meanwhile, Friday’s meeting also reviewed a system for responding to the rise in avian influenza cases.

In light of growing concerns over the supply and demand of eggs, Bang said the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation will import eggs and distribute them to large retailers next month, while considering further imports after monitoring trends in prices as well as supply and demand.