South Korean manufacturers' business sentiment for the fourth quarter of the year worsened due to external uncertainties, a survey showed Monday.

The business sentiment index, compiled by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stood at 72 for the October-December period, slightly down from 73 the previous quarter, KCCI said in a statement.

The BSI figure has stayed below the break-even threshold of 100 for the past 14 consecutive quarters. The last time the BSI was above 100 was in the third quarter of 2014. 

The survey polled some 2,200 manufacturing companies in Asia's fourth-biggest economy.

An ongoing trade war between the United States and China as well as Japan's regulations on exports to South Korea were major concerns for local businesses this year, the statement said.

Six out of 10 surveyed companies replied that they are unlikely to achieve their operating profit targets for the year amid a slowing global economy, it said. (Yonhap)