SEOUL, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- South Korean banks will continue to tighten lending standard in the fourth quarter amid the government's efforts to curb massive household debts, a central bank survey showed Monday.

The lending attitude index gained to minus 14 for the October-December quarter from minus 28 in the previous quarter, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK)'s poll of 203 banks and other financial institutions conducted in September.

Despite the gain, the index stayed below zero since the second quarter of this year. The index below zero indicates that lenders willing to tighten loan standard outnumber those willing to ease it.

The new government under President Lee Jae-myung, who took office in early June, unveiled a set of measures to keep down massive household debts, especially mortgage loan.

The index for mortgage loan to households advanced from minus 53 in the third quarter to minus 28 in the fourth quarter, while the reading for other loans to households, such as credit loan, added from minus 36 to minus 19.

The index for large companies increased from zero to 6 in the cited period, and the index for small firms rose from minus 6 to 3.

The BOK lowered its key rate by a quarter percentage point in February and May each to 2.50 percent, after slashing it by the same percentage point in October and November last year.

The credit risk index for households stood unchanged at 22 in the fourth quarter compared to the previous quarter.

The index for big companies was unchanged at 11, but the figure for small firms slipped from 33 in the third quarter to 28 in the fourth quarter. ■