South Korea's corporate investment will likely be expanded as companies increase their capital spending in the second half of this year, a poll showed Monday. According the survey by the Korea Chambers of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), 24 percent of the 1,000 companies polled said they will increase their investment in new item production and new technology development during the July-December period. The average increase of the manufacturers' capital spending stood at 3 percent, the survey said. And 23.6 percent of the companies said to expand investments for the future, while those who said to raise payment for repair of decrepit production facilities were 18.3 percent of the total, the survey added. 'Corporate investment sentiment will likely improve in the second half thanks to hopes of an economic recovery blooming out of the recent improvement in some economic indicators,' said the KCCI. 