The nation’s overall industrial output dropped for the second consecutive month in May.
 
According to Statistics Korea on Friday, the nation’s industrial production slipped zero-point-three percent in May from a month earlier.
 
Industrial output grew one-point-three percent in March, raising expectations about economic recovery. But April saw a sharp drop of one percent.
 
Output in the mining industry rose zero-point-two percent thanks to the increased production of semiconductors.
However, the service industry posted a zero-point-three percent drop due to a slump in the publishing, video and game industries.
 
Retail sales, an indicator of private consumption trends, also shrank zero-point-nine percent in May compared to the previous month.
 
The statistics agency said that the bearish consumption is attributed to a jump in the number of outbound travelers and rising public reluctance to go outside because of high levels of fine dust.
   
It also resulted from a decline in the sales of new smartphone models.