South Korean business confidence improved slightly in December, but pessimism about the future continues to persist. 

According to data by the Bank of Korea on Tuesday, the business survey index(BSI) of local businesses came to 76 for this month, up two points from the previous month.

A reading below the benchmark 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists.

The index for South Korean manufacturers remained unchanged at 74, while the figure for non-manufacturers gained three points on-month to 78.

The outlook for all industrial sectors for January came to 74, up one point from the previous month.