SEOUL, June 30 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's industrial output fell for a second consecutive month due to a temporary reduction in semiconductor production, statistical ministry data showed Tuesday.
The seasonally-adjusted index of all industry production, which excludes the agriculture, livestock and fishery sector, retreated 0.3 percent in May from a month earlier after sliding 0.4 percent in the previous month, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics.
Production among manufacturers shrank 3.0 percent in May on a monthly basis as the quarterly volume adjustments lowered memory chip output.
Production in the construction industry increased 3.8 percent, but output in the public administration sector declined 2.8 percent.
Output in the service industry picked up 1.3 percent in May after dipping 0.9 percent in April.
The average capacity utilization rate in the manufacturing industry slipped 2.2 percentage points from a month ago to 71.1 percent in May.
The retail sales index, which reflects private consumption, added 0.1 percent in May compared to the previous month, rebounding from a decrease of 3.5 percent in April.
Facility investment inched down 0.1 percent in May, but completed construction expanded 3.8 percent.
The cyclical variation factor for leading economic indicators, which gauges the outlook for future economic situations, gained 0.7 points to 104.8 in May compared to the previous month.
The reading for coincident economic indicators, which measures the current economic condition, reduced 0.3 points to 99.9 in the cited month. ■
