Overseas orders won by South Korean construction companies have significantly declined in the first half of this year from last year.

According to the data from the International Contractors Association of Korea(ICAK) on Tuesday, domestic construction firms secured overseas orders worth 14-point-13 billion dollars from January to June, down by 40 percent from the same period a year earlier.

It is the worst six-month performance in four years.

By region, orders won from the Middle East, the biggest market for South Korean building contractors, plunged by 44 percent to six-point-66 billion dollars. 

The orders from Latin America also nose-dived by 68 percent to one-point-three billion dollars.

The Pacific and North American regions as well as Africa surged as the bright spot for the South Korean constructors, bringing them 302 percent and 112 percent more orders, respectively, although they were not big enough to offset the stagnation in other regions.

Some industry watchers predict that the orders from the Middle East will not likely increase soon, saying it will take time for rising oil prices to prompt the oil-producing countries in the region to make construction orders.