Statistics Korea said production in mining and manufacturing rose 9.1 percent last month from February 2010. Year on year, output has increased every month since July 2009.

Month on month, production fell 2.3 percent due mainly to fewer working days because of the Lunar New Year holidays.

Economists cited by Dow Jones Newswires said the full impact of a rise in global crude oil prices and Japan's quake has yet to be reflected in the production data.

The economy grew 6.2 percent in 2010 in its fastest expansion for eight years, the central bank announced Wednesday. Its forecast for this year is 4.5 percent.