South Korea's consumer sentiment rose for the second consecutive month in January, but a larger number of people remained pessimistic about the economy. 

According to the Bank of Korea(BOK) on Friday, the composite consumer sentiment index(CCSI) for this month stood at 97-point-five, up point-six point from a month earlier. A reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists.

Last month, the index gained one-point-two points from a nearly two-year low of 95-point-seven.

The BOK said the index rose thanks to the government's stimulus plans, resumed trade negotiations between the U.S. and China and rises in stock prices and wages. 

Meanwhile, the index measuring people's sentiment regarding housing prices for the next year fell to 91, the lowest since January 2013.