The business sentiment index (BSI) stood at 51 for April, down 3 points from the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK). The reading below 100 indicates pessimist outnumbering optimists.
It was the lowest in more than 11 years since the global financial crisis roiled the world economy in December 2008.
The index continued to decline from 75 in January to 65 in February and 54 in March each amid the rising concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
The BSI among manufacturers declined 4 points over the month to 52 in April, the lowest since February 2009.
The index for exporters tumbled 8 points to 55, while the reading for non-exporters was unchanged at 51.
The BSI for services companies dipped 3 points to 50 in April, marking the lowest since relevant data began to be compiled in 2003.
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