Articles by Choi Si-young
Choi Si-young
siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com-
S. Korea confirms second big rate hike as surging dollar adds to inflation woes
The Bank of Korea returned to its second outsized rate hike since July as a surging US dollar and higher import bills chip away at efforts to curb persistent inflation. The central bank raised its policy rate to a 10-year high of 3 percent by 50 basis points on Wednesday -- an increase that is twice the usual size and marks a break from the August guidance that supported a gradual 25 basis point hike until this year’s last round of a rate-setting meeting in November. “We need to step
Economy Oct. 12, 2022
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BOK says riskier borrowers close to bankruptcy ahead of rate hike
Some 381,000 households would be unable to repay their loans even if they liquidated everything they have including their homes, as of December last year, Bank of Korea data showed Monday. The report -- revealed by Rep. Kang Jun-hyeon of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea as part of the annual parliamentary audit -- said “riskier borrowers” account for 3.2 percent of the entire loan group, with their loan volume making up 6.2 percent of the total at 69.4 trillion won ($48.
Economy Oct. 10, 2022
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Soaring food prices force Koreans to scrimp on eating out
Higher food prices are taking a toll on much of the world and Koreans are no exception, as they look to deal with the surging costs of eating out that reached a 30-year high last month -- the latest sign that will likely harden resolve at the Bank of Korea for a second hefty rate hike this week. While overall consumer prices eased in September for a second straight month, services inflation edged up 4.2 percent on-year, a 21-year high, according to Statistics Korea data released last week. Eatin
Economy Oct. 9, 2022
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Korea posts biggest drop in dollar reserves since 2008 as won plunges
South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves shrank by nearly $20 billion in September, the biggest monthly decline in 14 years, as authorities double down on efforts to prop up the quickly depreciating won that is now at a 13-year low against the US dollar. According to Bank of Korea data on Thursday, the reserves stood at $416.77 billion at the end of September, down $19.66 billion from $436.43 billion in August. That is the largest monthly dip since October 2008, when reserves fell by $27.4
Economy Oct. 6, 2022
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Pivot to big rate hike looms large as prices remain elevated
South Korea’s consumer prices eased in September for a second straight month, but the annual price increase is expected to stay as high as three times what the Bank of Korea sees as acceptable, the central bank said Wednesday, sharply increasing expectations of another 50 basis point rate hike next week. According to Statistics Korea data on Wednesday, the September consumer price index rose 5.6 percent from the same month a year earlier, down from 5.7 percent in August, when it slowed for
Economy Oct. 5, 2022
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Seoul readies W10tr ‘stabilization’ fund to contain market volatility
South Korea’s finance authorities are preparing to replenish what they call a “stabilization fund” this month to curb volatility gripping the local stock market, led by investors pricing in a sharp US downturn. The fund, which the government last rolled out in 2020 to ride out the COVID-19 fallout but never actually used amid a market rebound, will make possible an injection of roughly 10 trillion won ($7 billion) into the Kospi 200 -- a select group of blue chips on the main b
Market Oct. 4, 2022
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Korea-China trade ties on key party agenda, Chinese ambassador says
Expanding economic ties between South Korea and China is one of top priorities the Chinese Communist Party will discuss at its October congress, Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming said Thursday. “The economic ties bringing the two countries closer than ever should be a stepping stone to enhanced cooperation on supply chains,” Xing told a forum hosted by the Korea International Trade Association to celebrate 30 years of the Korea-China diplomatic ties. Steps China plans to
Industry Sept. 30, 2022
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Recession fears raise concerns on shaky Kospi
South Korea’s benchmark Kospi tumbled to a fresh intraday low Tuesday in 26 months, led by a sell-off by foreign investors pricing in a sharp US downturn prompted by tighter policy to corral inflation. The index pared the losses later the day, adding 2.92 points or 0.13 percent to 2,223.86. In the afternoon, the main board slid to an intraday low of 2,197.90, the lowest level since July 24, 2020, when it reached 2,195.49. Institutional investors purchased net 245 billion won ($171 million)
Market Sept. 27, 2022
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S. Korea nears currency crisis, but officials downplay concerns
Fears are growing that the South Korean won could continue to lose its value against the US dollar close to the level it suffered during the 2008 global financial crisis, but authorities have dismissed speculation over a repeat of such nightmare, saying the currency reserves are strong enough to fight dollar shortages. The dominant dollar, prompted by aggressive US policy tightening to corral inflation, is draining the country’s dollar reserves as it does other countries’, but a defa
Market Sept. 26, 2022
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Korea Herald to hold forum on tech reshaping humanity
The Korea Herald, the nation’s largest English newspaper by circulation, will hold its annual business forum on Oct. 19 to shed light on the latest technology trends that could change the way people live and the ways to make the transition smooth and effective. Under the theme of “Humanity in Tech,” the forum invites policymakers, industry leaders and diplomats to discuss what technological advances mean for people-to-people exchanges and the life adjustments needed to make the
Technology Sept. 19, 2022
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FSS to step up market scrutiny amid volatility
South Korea’s top financial watchdog chief said Thursday that the agency would step up checks on financial institutions bearing the bigger brunt of market volatility prompted by global inflation, while reinforcing internal oversight in the sector. The local currency hit an intraday low of 1,397.9 won against the US dollar in the onshore market before closing at 1,393.7, its lowest level since March 2009 during the global financial crisis. The benchmark Kospi fell to 2,401.83, losing 9.59 p
Market Sept. 15, 2022
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Relocation to Busan underway: KDB chief
Despite in-house resistance, preparations to relocate the state-run Korea Development Bank to Busan from Seoul are underway, the policy lender’s chief said Wednesday, saying that he would work to persuade employees. “As the man in charge, I do feel for my employees facing potentially a difficult time,” KDB Chairman & CEO Kang Seog-hoon said, referring to workers holding rallies to protest the relocation plan. It is a decision made by the president and the prime minister and is
Economy Sept. 14, 2022
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Korean won sinks to worst level since 2008 financial crisis
South Korea is inching ever closer to a repeat of the 2008-2009 global financial crisis as the local won weakened against the US dollar to close at 1,390.9 won in the onshore market -- a 17.3 won retreat from the previous session and its weakest level since 1,391.5 won in March 2009. Stronger bets on US tightening amid the latest discouraging news on inflation led to the dip. The benchmark Kospi shed 38.12 points or 1.56 percent to 2,411.42 from Tuesday, prompted by a sell-off by foreign and ins
Market Sept. 14, 2022
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BOK vows market stability with eye on US rate hike
Speculation over a third large rate hike of 75 basis points by the US Federal Reserve next week runs higher than ever, but the Bank of Korea sought to reassure market watchers Tuesday that preparations to cushion its impact were underway. “We have to step up monitoring of capital inflows and outflows and currency markets,” said Lee Seung-heon, senior deputy governor at the central bank, warning against growing uncertainties: a hawkish US Fed and a like-minded European Central Bank. T
Economy Sept. 13, 2022
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Korea’s economic growth ebbs on US, China slowdown
South Korea’s gross domestic product -- the value of all goods and services created in the country -- improved slightly in the second quarter but underperformed that of most OECD countries on the US and China slowdowns, the latest Bank of Korea data showed Monday. The central bank found that the GDP rose 0.7 percent on-quarter in the April-June quarter, an incremental improvement from the 0.6 percent in the previous quarter. The latest growth rate ranks 20th among 35 countries -- including
Economy Sept. 12, 2022
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