South Korea’s Composite Consumer Sentiment Index for January rose to 91.2, a 3.0-point increase from December’s 88.2, marking a modest rebound from the lowest point recorded in 2024. Despite the uptick, the index remains well below the long-term average of 100, indicating persistent consumer pessimism. Key components such as future living conditions and household income outlook showed improvement, while the assessment of current economic conditions dipped further to 51.  

Inflation expectations for the next year edged down by 0.1 percentage points to 2.8%, while three- and five-year projections held steady at 2.6%. The Bank of Korea noted that optimism about future economic conditions rose significantly, with the future economic outlook index jumping by 9 points to 65. However, perceptions of current conditions and employment opportunities remain subdued.