The Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday it will frontload its defense budget this year to join the government's efforts to boost the sagging economy.

The ministry has set aside 12.2 trillion won ($10.2 billion) of its annual budget for early spending in the hopes that it could "boost the local economy which is facing difficulties from both the inside and outside," the ministry said in a statement. 

Out of the total 38.8 trillion won budget for the Defense Minister for 2016, the allocated amount includes costs for construction, maintenance and daily supplies, but excludes labor costs or arms procurement expenses.

About 48 percent of the budget earmarked for frontloading will be spent before the end of June, according to the ministry.

The ministry will keep up the front-loading efforts in the second half of this year, the ministry added.

"The pre-emptive budget spending is expected to contribute to the revitalization of the economy," a ministry official said.

South Korea's exports, a key economic driver, shrank 7.9 percent in December from a year earlier, the 12th on-year fall in a row, which is raising concerns about the economic prospects for this year. (Yonhap)