Sixth straight rate freeze at 2.5% while economic outlook adjusted to higher level by BOK

Описание: 기준금리 연 2.5%, 6연속 동결… 경기 좋은데 집값•환율은 불안

We start with details of the central bank's decision to maintain its benchmark interest rate at 2-point-5 percent and its upward projection of two percent with regard to Korea's economic growth this year.
Our correspondent Kim Do-yeon reports.

The Bank of Korea has yet again frozen the benchmark interest rate at 2.5 percent.
The decision came unanimously on Thursday after a monetary policy board meeting.

"With inflation expected to remain stable near the target, and growth projected to improve at a stronger-than-expected pace, risks to financial stability remain. The Board, therefore, judged it appropriate to maintain the current base rate while assessing domestic and external policy conditions."

Entering 2025, the benchmark rate stood at 3.0 percent.
Since May last year, the Board hasn't changed the rates for six monetary policy committee meetings.
And, looking at the first-ever revealing of a six-month projection by the Board, the rate is not likely to be changed for the foreseeable future.
With each of the seven monetary policy board members getting three votes, more than a third of the 21 projection votes stood at 2.50 percent.
Meanwhile, the Bank of Korea raised the economic outlook, forecasting 2-percent growth this year 0.2 percentage points higher than its November outlook of 1.8-percent.

"Domestically, while construction investment remains sluggish, private consumption has continued its recovery, driven by improved economic sentiment and income conditions, such as wages. Exports sustained high growth led by IT sectors—including semiconductors and computers—despite the impact of tariffs."


In fact, the BOK explained that IT manufacturing itself contributed around 0.7 percent to the growth rate this year.
Around half of that comes just from chip exports.
On the other hand, there remain risks in the industry as well as in the economy.
In fact, the fast growth in AI and tech was one of the factors the Governor picked as a reason behind the intensified economic polarization.
While the industry grows, non-IT sectors, especially construction, are struggling at the moment.
Plus, with the rise in the stock market, and with most of the investment done by the wealthy and institutions, the wealth gap could widen further.
As for inflation, the central bank also raised the forecast for this year to 2.2 percent a 0.1 percentage point higher than last November's.
The Bank explained it was due to upward cost pressures on some items, including electronic devices while the rate will be subject to change, with the changes in oil prices, exchange rates, as well as the government's efforts to keep prices low.
Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.

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2026-02-26, 17:00 (KST)