South Korea's consumer sentiment fell in November as concerns have risen over slowing exports and uncertainties stemming from expected policy changes of the new Donald Trump administration, a central bank poll showed Tuesday.

The composite consumer sentiment index stood at 100.7 this month, down from the previous month's 101.7, according to the survey conducted by the Bank of Korea (BOK).

A reading above 100 means optimists outnumber pessimists.

As for inflation, ordinary people expected consumer prices to rise 2.8 percent for the year ahead, unchanged from October.

The worsening consumer sentiment came as the growth of South Korean exports has slowed in recent months, sparking fears of an economic downturn at a time when the country is witnessing weak private consumption and investment.

Also drawing attention is the impact of Trump's "American-first" stance on the broader economic and industrial sectors, as he has vowed to impose high tariffs on imported goods and to implement a series of protectionist measures.

Last week, an International Monetary Fund team slashed its forecast for South Korea's economic growth for next year by 0.2 percentage point to 2 percent.

The BOK is also widely expected to lower its growth outlook for this year and 2025 when it announces its latest forecasts later this week. (Yonhap)