SEOUL, June 11 (Xinhua) -- South Korean banks' household lending rose for the fourth straight month due to strong demand for mortgage loans, central bank data showed Wednesday.

Debt owed by households to deposit-taking banks totaled 1,155.3 trillion won (841.1 billion U.S. dollars) at the end of May, up 5.2 trillion won (3.8 billion dollars) from a month earlier, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).

It continued to expand since February as higher housing transactions boosted demand for home-backed loans.

Banks' mortgage loans grew 4.2 trillion won (3.1 billion dollars) last month, while other loans to households, including credit loans, credit lines and commercial real estate-backed loans, added 1.0 trillion won (728.1 million dollars).

The country's housing market showed signs of recovery. The number of apartment transactions nationwide was on the increase with 26,000 in January, 39,000 in February, 50,000 in March and 41,000 in April.

The BOK cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points in February and May each to 2.50 percent after lowering it by the same basis points in October and November last year.

The banks' corporate loans came to 1,346.6 trillion won (980.4 billion dollars) at the end of May, up 8.0 trillion won (5.8 billion dollars) from a month earlier.

Lending to big companies increased by 5.4 trillion won (3.9 billion dollars), while loans to small firms swelled by 2.6 trillion won (1.9 billion dollars) last month.