Korea FX reserves gain record Aug, BOK drops ranking table SEOUL, September 03 (AJP) -South Korea's foreign exchange reserves stretched in monthly record of $14.33 billion in August amid record-setting trade surplus streak and a stronger won, according to the Bank of Korea which quietly ended a 25-year practice of publishing the country's global reserve ranking. Foreign reserves stood at $442.28 billion at the end of August, up from $427.95 billion a month earlier, the central bank said Thursday. The increase was the largest sin September 3, 2026

Experts warn of aging, low birthrates at BOK conference SEOUL, September 2 (AJP) - South Korea's rapidly aging population will put pressure on economic growth and pension systems even if birthrates recover, economists said Wednesday. They also said rigid workplace practices and intense competition in education continue to make it costly to raise children. The assessments came on the first day of a conference at the Bank of Korea in Seoul, held under the theme of "The Economics of Population Ageing and Longevity: From Challenges September 2, 2026

BOK sees September inflation easing, core pressures persist SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - South Korea's consumer inflation is expected to ease in September as a telecom-related base effect fades, but underlying price pressures are likely to remain elevated, the Bank of Korea said Wednesday. The central bank made the assessment after an inflation review meeting chaired by Deputy Governor Lee Ji-ho earlier in the day. Consumer prices rose 3.1 percent in August from a year earlier, accelerating from 2.8 percent in July. "Consumer pr September 2, 2026

BOK highlights demographic challenges in international forum SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - The Bank of Korea opened a two-day conference Wednesday on ageing and longevity, where Governor Hyun Song Shin urged early preparation for demographic pressures on growth, productivity and interest rates. The conference, titled “The Economics of Population Ageing and Longevity: From Challenges to Opportunities,” runs through Thursday in Seoul. It is jointly hosted by the BOK, the Centre for Economic Policy Research and the Organisation fo September 2, 2026

UPDATE: Korea's inflation returns above 3% Aug on one-off base effect *Updated with additional information, comments, and market response SEOUL, September 2 (AJP) - South Korea's consumer inflation accelerated above 3 percent in August, but would have eased to around 2.5 percent excluding a one-off base effect, as policymakers turn their attention to rising wage costs and strengthening demand as more persistent sources of price pressure. The consumer price index stood at 120.05 in August, up 3.1 percent from a year earlier and 0.2 percent from September 2, 2026

Chip windfall bankrolls Korea's record $600 bn budget for '27 SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) -Seoul has proposed a record 820.9 trillion won ($599 billion) budget outline through its biggest-ever increase of nearly 13 percent, riding on the chip windfall to invest in future growth instead of increasing immediate spending that can go counter to tightening monetary policy. Total spending for 2027 will rise 93 trillion won, or 12.8 percent, from this year's original budget, crossing the 800 trillion won threshold for the first time and exceedin September 1, 2026

Korea's tax income up 18% on chip, stock and housing boom SEOUL, Aug. 31 (AJP) — Active stock and housing trading bolstered South Korea's tax revenue on top of a chip-led corporate earnings windfall, pushing cumulative tax income to 274 trillion won ($199.4 billion) through July, up 41.4 trillion won, or 17.8 percent, from a year earlier. Stock transaction tax collections more than quadrupled to 8.2 trillion won from 1.8 trillion won over the same period last year, reflecting the extraordinary surge in equity trading as well a August 31, 2026

Korea's factory output loses steam July, retail sales sag SEOUL, August 31 (AJP) -South Korea's factory output growth sharply eased on a pullback from chip shipments while a key gauge of household consumption fell back in July, suggesting the economy's heavy reliance on chip activity and restricted trickle-down effect of the chip boom on the the broader economy, government data showed Monday. Mining and manufacturing output edged up 0.2 percent in July from the previous month, sharply losing steam from a 6.7 percent surge in August 31, 2026

Korea growth bets race near 4%, beyond 2026 in doubt SEOUL, August 31 (AJP) -Forecasts for South Korea's economic growth are racing higher as the artificial intelligence-driven semiconductor boom spills into investment and consumption, with nearly half of economists tracked by Bloomberg now expecting the economy to outperform the Bank of Korea's sharply upgraded 3.3 percent projection this year. But the optimism drops off sharply beyond 2026. Of 42 domestic and overseas institutions surveyed by Bloomberg as of Aug. 28, 2 August 31, 2026

Seoul rolls out borrower relief to cushion rate-hike fallout SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - South Korea rolled out a targeted financial-relief package for heavily indebted households and small businesses Friday, seeking to contain the fallout from the Bank of Korea's back-to-back rate hikes without reversing the central bank's broader monetary tightening. The government said it will buy and restructure billions of won in long-delinquent debt, expand cheap refinancing for small merchants and increase subsidized lending to low- and middle-cre August 28, 2026