South Korea's overall industrial output and investment increased in December but private consumption remained weak.  

According to Statistics Korea on Wednesday, the country's overall industrial output increased point-two percent on-month in December. 

Industrial output has grown for two straight months since it contracted one-point-eight percent in October last year.  

Retail sales, an economic indicator for consumption, decreased four percent last month from a month ago, while corporate investment jumped eight-point-nine percent. 

Industrial output for the whole of 2017 rose two-point-four percent from the previous year.

The average factory operation rate decreased point-seven percentage points to 71-point-nine percent, the lowest level since 1998.

Retail sales rose two-point-seven percent last year, and facility investment jumped 14-point-one percent.