A majority of South Korean manufacturers remain pessimistic about their business conditions in November even though more firms expect conditions for their exports to improve, a poll showed Friday.

The business survey index of manufacturing companies came to 70 for November, unchanged from the previous month, according to the survey by the Bank of Korea.

A reading below the benchmark 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists.

The index of non-manufacturing firms also remained unchanged from a month earlier at 73 for November.

The monthly survey covered 1,798 manufacturing businesses and 1,120 non-manufacturers throughout the country, according to the BOK.

The gloomy outlook for next month apparently comes as many businesses expect local market conditions to further deteriorate.

A separate index of non-exporters came to 68 for November, down 2 points from the previous month while the index of exporting firms gained 2 points to 73.

The index of small and medium-sized firms, which tend to focus more on the domestic market, also slipped 1 point to 65 while that of more export-focused large companies remained unchanged at 73.

"Poor domestic consumption and uncertain economic conditions continued to take up a large part of difficulties weighing down on manufacturing companies," the BOK said in a press release, adding 45.4 percent of those surveyed said the two issues were the most serious issues facing them.

The country has been struggling with sagging domestic consumption since the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in late May. The outbreak, the world's largest outside of Saudi Arabia, has so far claimed 37 lives here. The government is expected to declare a formal end to the outbreak in the near future as no additional cases have been filed since July.

Shrinking exports also remain a deadweight on the local economy with outbound shipments falling ever single month from the start of the year. (Yonhap)