South Korea's consumer confidence dropped to a 17-month low in August due to the sluggish job market and inflation. 

According to the survey by the Bank of Korea(BOK) on Tuesday, the composite consumer sentiment index(CCSI) for this month stood at 99-point-two, down one-point-eight points from the previous month. 

The index dropped below the benchmark 100 for the first time since March last year, when it marked 96-point-three. A reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists.   

The BOK attributed the drop to the recent grim job data, rises in prices of daily goods and concerns over the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China.

The central bank said its index measuring people's sentiment regarding current economic conditions slipped seven points to 70 in August, while the public's assessment of overall economic conditions for the next six months dropped five points to 82.