The business sentiment index (BSI) rose to 86 in April, up 3 points from the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).
It was the first improvement in four months as the government lifted all social-distancing rules, including a business curfew and a cap on private gatherings, except for the mask mandate earlier this month.
The BSI among non-manufacturers went up 4 points over the month to 85 in April, marking the highest in 11 years since April 2011.
The lifting of anti-virus measures boosted businesses in the wholesale, retail and travel sectors.
The BSI among manufacturers gained 3 points from a month earlier to 87 in April.
The result was based on a survey of 2,828 companies, including 1,677 manufacturers and 1,151 non-manufacturers, conducted on April 13-20.
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