Hotels and restaurants, key sectors of the service industry that primarily rely on domestic demand, have been experiencing an unprecedented long-term downturn.

According to Statistics Korea on Sunday, the production index for these sectors stood at 103-point-eight in February, down three-point-eight percent from a year earlier.

This marks the lowest level since March 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the index stood at 101-point-seven.

Calculated based on hotel and restaurant sales, the index declined every month from May 2023 to this February, except for January last year, when it remained flat compared to the previous year.

The index has failed to increase for 22 consecutive months, the longest slump since the nation began compiling service industry production data in 2000.