Central Banks

Bank of Korea Keeps Door Open to Further Hike After Rate Pause

  • Korea inflation expected to decelerate slower than major peers
  • More board members open to a higher terminal rate than before
WATCH: The Bank of Korea has kept its key interest rates unchanged at 3.50%. Kathleen Hays reports.Source: Bloomberg
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Bank of Korea Governor Rhee Chang-yong sought to keep the door open to resuming policy tightening to counter inflation after the board kept interest rates unchanged on Thursday for the first time in a year.

Rhee told reporters that five of the six board members he polled were open to borrowing costs reaching a peak of 3.75% after holding the seven-day repurchase rate at 3.5%. That was an increase from three board members in January. The board comprises seven members including the governor.