Confidence among Korean manufacturers remained subdued in May.
According to the Bank of Korea,... the business survey index came to 71,... unchanged from the previous month.
A reading below the benchmark 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists.
But conglomerates were less pessimistic,... with the index adding two points on-month,... while small and mid-sized companies' confidence edged down one point.
All in all, manufacturers cited weak domestic consumption, uncertainties in the economic situation as well as slowing exports as some of the lingering difficulties.