Six out of 10 chief executive officers of tech-savvy KOSDAQ-listed firms expect the South Korean economy to go downhill in 2016 amid a slowdown in China and weak domestic consumption, a poll showed Tuesday.

According to the survey conducted by the KOSDAQ Listed Companies Association, 80 of 124 respondents, or 64.5 percent, said that they think Asia's fourth-largest economy will get worse this year compared to the previous year.

Only 11 people, or 8.9 percent, expected a recovery in the economy.

They pointed out that the slowing Chinese economy is the biggest threat to South Korea, with tepid domestic demand, higher U.S. interest rates and volatile foreign currency also likely to weigh on the local economy.

Global investment banks and government agencies earlier forecast that South Korea's 2016 growth will remain similar to that of last year or even move down.

Global IBs have predicted an average 2.6 percent growth for 2016, while the Seoul government expects a 3.1 percent expansion.

However, the KOSDAQ survey said that 58.8 percent of the polled businessmen answered that their business performance will improve this year, up from 50.8 percent tallied a year earlier.

They will invest more money in research and development and seek new business opportunities through mergers and acquisitions, when they post better bottom lines. (Yonhap)