The value of retail sales in South Korea was down a seasonally adjusted 0.5 percent on month in March, Statistics Korea said on Friday.
That missed expectations for a decline of 0.2 percent following the downwardly revised flat reading in February (originally 0.1 percent).
On a yearly basis, retail sales climbed 2.3 percent - topping forecasts for an increase of 2.0 percent following the 1.6 percent gain in the previous month.
