Israel's economy 'shakes' in the 'swamp of war'..."Brain drain" accelerates.

[Anchor]
Israel's economy is being hit directly amid the prolonged war.

There is also a series of "quiet departures" in which talents in high-tech industries, the main engine of the economy, are fleeing to foreign countries.

Reporter Yoon Hyun-sook reports.

[Reporter]
Flea Market in Haifa, northern Israel
Only merchants spend time at antique shops where
customers have been cut off.

[Meir Savag / Antique shopkeeper: A lot of tourists came from Jerusalem, Ateret, etc., but now there are no tourists." Almost all souvenir shops are closed in Jerusalem's Old City.]

The prolonged war has deepened the Israeli people's anxiety.

As the front line expands to Lebanon and other countries, the tourism and shipping industries are hit hard, and the agricultural and construction sectors are also struggling due to manpower shortages.

The national fiscal deficit and debt ratio increased and the national credit rating fell one after another.

[Jacob Shinin / Israeli economist: We're going to lose $14 billion in GDP this year. But it's only GDP, and it's losing a lot more. ]

Increasing war costs are also hampering the economy.

By the end of next year, war costs are expected to cost 66 billion dollars, more than 12% of Israel's GDP, and nearly 86.6 trillion won in our money.

The cost of rebuilding the region in southern and northern Israel, compensating victims' families and strengthening the Israeli defense system is also a huge burden.

The bigger problem is that more and more people see the future of Israel's economy as dark.

Foreign media reported that talents in high-tech industries such as semiconductors and IT, which have led Israel's economic revival, are increasingly leaving the country.

In fact, "brain leakage" is also expected to be a serious problem amid the prolonged war, with one in four Israeli citizens considering immigration.

I'm YTN's Yoon Hyunsuk.



Video editing: Han Kyung-hee

Design: Eun