South Korean manufacturing confidence continued to weaken with a majority of non-manufacturing firms also expecting worse conditions for their business in December, a poll showed Monday.

The business survey index for manufacturing companies came to 69 for December, down 1 point from the previous month, according to the survey by the Bank of Korea.

A reading below the benchmark 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists.

The BSI of non-manufacturing companies came to 71 for December, slipping 2 points from a month earlier, according to the central bank.

The monthly survey covers about 2,800 firms, including some 1,700 manufacturing companies, throughout the country.

The dip in the business sentiment of South Korean companies came as they expect local market conditions to further deteriorate.

An index measuring the companies' outlook on domestic sales came to 79 for next month, compared with 81 for November while a separate index gauging the business sentiment of non-exporting firms here came to 68.

The index for exporting companies came to 70, down 3 points from the previous month.

South Korea's exports have fallen every single month since the start of the year with outbound shipments plunging 15.8 percent on-year in October, marking the fastest clip of drop in over six years.

"Poor domestic consumption and external uncertainties continue to create serious problems for local manufacturers," the BOK said in a press release.

Out of those surveyed, 23.8 percent said the slump in the domestic market was the most serious issue facing them while 19.9 percent and 9.1 percent cited external uncertainties and poor exports, respectively, as major problems. (Yonhap)