SEOUL, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- South Korean lenders' foreign currency borrowing marked a net fall for the first time in more than four years as the central bank tightened rules on foreign debt and companies' capital demand decreased, the central bank said Wednesday.

    According to the Bank of Korea (BOK), the total foreign currency borrowing by South Korean banks stood at 44.5 billion U.S. dollars as of end-October, falling 6 billion U.S. dollars from the year-end of 2008.

    The figure marked a decline for the first time since 2002 when the BOK collected related data, in the BOK said.

    The fall in the figure came as the central bank's tightened control of foreign currency borrowing in 20007 began to have effect on local lenders, according to the BOK.

    Local companies' demand for foreign loans also decreased as the global economic slowdown cut down needs for working capital, it added.

    As of the end of October, the outstanding foreign currency debts totaled 44.5 billion U.S. dollars, down from 50.5 billion U.S. dollars as of the end of 2008, the bank said.

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