Economy
Macroeconomics
"Fed to Raise Rates Twice This Year… Bank of Korea Also Expected to Hike Rates Again in November"
Expectations are growing that the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) will raise interest rates at this week’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. This comes as international oil prices have once aga…
Macroeconomics
Exchange Rate Has Fallen by Over 200 Won in Two Months… Will It Rebound Again Amid U.S. Monetary Tightening?
In the third quarter of this year, the value of the Korean won rose nearly three times as much as the Japanese yen, recording the highest rate of appreciation among the currencies of the Group of 20 (…
Macroeconomics
After Excluding Samsung Electronics… Corporate Operating Profit Margin Plummets from 17% to 6%
Driven by the semiconductor boom, both growth and profitability among South Korean companies reached record highs in the second quarter. However, excluding Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, the extent…
Macroeconomics
Won-Dollar Exchange Rate Hits 1,330 Won Level for Second Consecutive Day… Yen Strength Also Exerts Downward Pressure
The won is continuing to strengthen, with the won-dollar exchange rate falling to the 1,330 won range for the second consecutive day. Downward pressure on the exchange rate persists as dollar sales by…
Macroeconomics
Exchange Rate Hits 1,340 Won Level for the First Time in 14 Months… “Possibility of Further Decline Followed by a Rebound”
The won-dollar exchange rate briefly fell below the 1,350 won mark during trading on the 4th. This marked the first time in about 14 months that the rate fell into the 1,340 won range.
(Photo: AFP…
Macroeconomics
Prime Minister Han: "Record Reduction of 109 Public Institutions"... 350 Facilities in the Seoul Metropolitan Area to Be Relocated to Regional Areas
Prime Minister Han Seong-suk announced on the 3rd that she would push forward with a functional reform plan to relocate approximately 350 public institutions from the Seoul metropolitan area to region…
Macroeconomics
Core Inflation Hits 3-Year, 3-Month High… Will the Bank of Korea’s “Battle Against Inflation” Drag On?
Core inflation, which reflects the underlying trend in prices, has surged to its highest level in three years and three months. Even after accounting for the base effect resulting from last year’s tel…
Macroeconomics
"Retirement Age at 85?" South Korea Ages Three Times Faster Than the U.S.—Situation More Serious Than in Japan
Warnings have emerged that as South Korea ages at a rate three times faster than the United States, the impact of an aging population will begin to take full effect across growth, fiscal, and monetary…
Macroeconomics
'Rollback' of 1.2 Billion Won Comprehensive Real Estate Tax Deduction for Non-Resident Single-Home Owners… ISA Reform Withdrawn
The government has decided to withdraw its plan to lower the basic exemption amount for the Comprehensive Real Estate Tax for non-resident single-homeowners to 900 million won starting next year and t…
Macroeconomics
Phrase ‘interest rate hike stance’ omitted… Bank of Korea eases pace after consecutive hikes
The Bank of Korea, which has raised the benchmark interest rate twice in a row, is expected to begin “slowing the pace” of hikes going forward. Since the central bank raised the benchmark rate to 3% t…