South Korean firms' business outlook remained negative for 20 straight months.
 
According to the Korea Economic Research Institute's survey of the country's top 600 companies released Thursday, the Business Survey Index(BSI) for January 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 20 consecutive months since June 2016, which is the longest period since the figure stayed below the mark for 31 straight months from July 1996 to January 1999.