South Korea's economy saw sluggish growth in the first quarter of this year due to weak exports and consumer demand.

The Bank of Korea(BOK) said Tuesday that the economy expanded four-tenths of a percent in the first three months of the year.

In the fourth quarter of last year, the nation's gross domestic product(GDP) grew zero-point-seven percent.

The first quarter data comes a week after the BOK lowered its economic growth outlook for South Korea this year from three percent to two-point-eight percent. The central bank previously slashed its economic outlook from three-point-two percent to three percent in January.