South Korean firms' business outlook remained negative for 19 straight months.
 
According to data compiled by the Korea Economic Research Institute(KERI), the Business Survey Index(BSI) for December marked 96-point-five. A reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists in terms of business outlook.
 
The monthly index has remained below the benchmark for 19 consecutive months since June 2016. 
 
A KERI official said it is the first time the BSI has stayed below the mark for an entire year since the foreign currency crisis in 1997 and 1998.
 
The average BSI for this year came to 93-point-five, also the lowest since the global financial crisis in 2008, when it marked 88-point-seven.