South Korea's real estate market was still faltering despite comprehensive measures to boost the market unveiled earlier this year, industry data showed Friday.

Nationwide apartment prices fell 0.31 percent for the first six months of this year, the first fall in four years that the prices declined in the first half, according to data by Kookmin Bank.

Apartment prices in Seoul and its suburban metropolitan areas decreased 1.4 percent in the first half after falling 1.39 percent a year earlier.

The decline came as the South Korean government unveiled a set of measures in early April to boost the faltering property market, including the offer of exemptions on acquisition and capital gains taxes along with the financial support for first-time home buyers.

An official at the bank said that apartment transactions would reduce in the second half as tax benefits for home acquisitions were scheduled to end this month, noting that it remains to be seen whether the government would launch additional measures to boost the market. Endi

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