Financial authorities seek to calm concerns after MSCI setback SEOUL, June 24 (AJP) - South Korean financial authorities said Wednesday that it expects to be included in MSCI’s developed-market index in due course if it continues to press ahead with foreign exchange and capital market reforms, after the country again failed to make the index provider’s watchlist for a possible upgrade. The Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Financial Services Commission said in a joint statement that MSCI recognizes the government’s eff June 24, 2026

Korea consumer confident stays positive, but jitters rise over higher rates SEOUL, June 23 (AJP) - South Korea's consumer confidence remained positive for a second straight month, shrugging off the prolonged Gulf conflict on the back of a strong stock market, but the outlook deteriorated as concerns grew over higher rents and interest rates, central bank data showed Tuesday. According to the Bank of Korea, the Composite Consumer Sentiment Index edged up to 106.6 in June from 106.1 in May, marking a second consecutive month above the 100 threshold after June 23, 2026

SME loan delinquency rate at top five banks hits record high SEOUL, June 22 (AJP) - Loan delinquencies among small and medium-sized enterprises at South Korea’s five major banks rose to the highest level in data going back to January 2020, underscoring growing stress among smaller companies and self-employed borrowers. The average delinquency rate on won-denominated loans at KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori and NH NongHyup stood at 0.51 percent at the end of May, according to financial industry data released Monday. That was up 0.05 June 22, 2026

Korea's June exports set 20-day record on tripled chip shipments SEOUL, June 22 (AJP) - South Korea’s exports rose to a record for the first 20 days of a month in June, as a powerful rebound in semiconductors pushed shipments nearly 60 percent higher from a year earlier. Exports came to $61.99 billion between June 1 and 20, up 60.4 percent from the same period last year, preliminary data from the Korea Customs Service showed Monday. The figure surpassed the previous 20-day record of $54.3 billion set in March, pointing to a sharper-than- June 22, 2026

S, Korea warns chip boom could spark property speculation SEOUL, June 20 (AJP) - A historic semiconductor-driven economic boom in South Korea risks triggering widespread real estate speculation and widening wealth inequality unless fiscal policies are reformed, the presidential policy chief warned on Saturday. The influx of wealth driven by global demand for artificial intelligence chips has pushed economic indicators to record highs but threatens to distort the domestic economy. The warning highlights growing government concern that m June 20, 2026

Household debt bottlenecks S. Korean corporate lending SEOUL, June 20 (AJP) - South Korea's major commercial banks face a critical bottleneck in expanding corporate credit due to a heavy structural over-reliance on household loans. A report released Saturday by the Korea Institute of Finance warned that domestic lenders lack the capital agility of global competitors, leaving them poorly positioned to support national economic growth just as regulators freeze traditional consumer lending channels. This systemic vulnerability collid June 20, 2026

Korea's C/A surplus with U.S. falls and US stockholdings doubles SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) - South Korea’s current account surplus with the United States fell for the first time in six years in 2025 amid rising cost of intellectual property and artificial intelligence services, central bank data showed Friday. The data showed that Korea’s goods surplus with the United States remained strong, but was increasingly offset by a wider services deficit and weaker income receipts. According to preliminary regional balance of payments data from June 19, 2026

Korea's producer prices spike at fastest pace since pandemic SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) -Korea's producer price spiked 8.5 percent from a year earlier in May, the fastest annual increase since the pandemic peak in the summer of 2022, as oil shocks from the Gulf crisis hit the energy-dependent economy in full force and flagged upside risks for consumer inflation ahead, central bank data showed Friday. The figures underscore that supply-driven inflation is no longer just an oil story. The spring energy shock has cooled on a monthly basis, but June 19, 2026

War may be ending, but the inflation bill is yet to arrive SEOUL, June 18 (AJP) - The United States and Iran have signed a memorandum of understanding to end the Gulf conflict, but the war bill has yet to arrive. The inflation shock unleashed by the monthslong Strait of Hormuz blockade is still working its way through central bank decisions, reviving upward pressure on interest rates and the U.S. dollar across Asian financial markets. The Bank of Japan and the European Central Bank have already tightened policy. The Bank of Korea may be June 18, 2026

Seoul waives gas tariffs, extends diesel subsidies SEOUL, June 18 (AJP) - South Korea will cut tariffs on liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas to zero, extend diesel subsidies for transport operators and broaden tariff relief on food imports as the government moves to contain cost-of-living pressure from higher energy and commodity prices. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol chaired the 11th ministerial task force meeting on consumer price stabilization at the Government Complex Seoul on Thursday. June 18, 2026