S.Korea's consumer sentiment improves for 6 months

SEOUL, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Sentiment among South Korean consumers over economic situation improved for the sixth consecutive month, central bank data showed Thursday.

The composite consumer sentiment index (CCSI) came in at 110.3 in June, up 5.1 points from the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).

The index kept rising for the first six months of this year amid the signs of economic recovery from the COVID-19 shock and the ongoing vaccination campaign.

The number of South Koreans, who received at least one shot of COVID-19 vaccines, surpassed 15 million, or around 30 percent of the country's total population.

Export, which accounts for about half of the export-driven economy, jumped 29.5 percent in the June 1-20 period compared to the same period of last year.

Inflation expectations, which gauge outlook among consumers over headline inflation for the next 12 months, stood at 2.3 percent in June, up 0.1 percentage point from the prior month.