South Korea's central bank has frozen its key interest rate for August on sluggish economic data and low inflation pressure.

The monetary policy board of the Bank of Korea(BOK) on Friday voted to keep the policy rate unchanged at one-point-five percent as widely expected.  

Since adjusting up the key rate for the first time in more than six years last November, the BOK has maintained the same rate six consecutive times.

The central bank's latest decision comes as South Korea's job growth slowed to an eight-year low of five-thousand in July, and recent data showed worsening income distribution.

In a news briefing after the monetary policy meeting, BOK Governor Lee Ju-yeol said the economy is likely to add fewer jobs than the July forecast of 180-thousand this year as job growth so far falls short of expectations.  

Amid weakened consumer and corporate sentiments, Washington and Beijing's ongoing tariff war is also believed to have triggered Friday's rate freeze.