South Korea’s Composite Consumer Sentiment Index fell to 107.0 in March 2026, a decline of 5.1 points from 112.1 in February, marking a sharp pullback from the eight-year high recorded earlier. Perceptions of current living standards slipped to 94, down two points from the previous month, while expectations for future living conditions dropped to 97, a four-point decrease. Sentiment regarding future household income eased to 101, whereas expectations for future household spending held steady at 111.
Assessments of current domestic economic conditions weakened to 86, and expectations for the future domestic economy declined to 89. Taken together, these figures indicate a clear deterioration in consumer confidence, largely driven by more pessimistic views of the domestic economy and its outlook. Inflation expectations stood at 2.7% for the next year, 2.6% over a three-year horizon, and 2.5% over a five-year period.
