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A shopkeeper naps as she waits for customers at a traditional market in Seoul, South Korea, April 7, 2022. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Dec 5 (Reuters) - South Korea's inflation eased for the first time in four months in November, bringing relief to policymakers worried about persistent inflation risks as they plan to keep their restrictive monetary policy in place for longer. "Compared to core inflation in the U.S. and Europe that seem to be still in the 4% to 5% range, (South Korea's core inflation) seems to be far more stable," said Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho at a policy meeting in Seoul. "Considering this, we see inflation stabilizing in a steady manner going forward, unless we face some additional external shocks." The Bank of Korea kept interest rates steady at 3.50% last week at its final policy meeting of the year and signalled it may need to keep interest rates higher for longer to head off persistent inflation risks.

Persons: naps, Kim Hong, Choo Kyung, BOK, Jihoon Lee, Chris Reese, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters Survey, Bank of, Thomson Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, U.S, Europe, Bank of Korea

SEOUL, Oct 26 (Reuters) - South Korea's economy fared better than expected in the third quarter with the expansion underpinned by exports, backing the case for the central bank to keep rates on hold for the months ahead. Government spending grew 0.1%, and construction investment expanded 2.2% after contracting 0.8% in the second quarter. On an annual basis, Asia's fourth-largest economy grew 1.4% in the third quarter, after a 0.9% gain in the second quarter and beating a 1.1% rise expected by economists. South Korea's central bank held interest rates steady for a sixth straight meeting last week, retaining a tightening bias on monetary policy as it warned of inflationary risks from the Israel-Hamas conflict and global oil prices. In a separate Reuters survey conducted early this month, South Korea's economic growth was forecast to slow to 1.2% in 2023 from 2.6% in 2022.

Persons: Ed Davies, Sam Holmes Organizations: Gross, Bank of, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, Bank of Korea, Korea's, Israel

REUTERS/Thomas White/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Sept 15 (Reuters) - South Korea is reviewing measures to limit currency and swap traders' tenure in local dealing rooms to three to five years, starting as early as next year, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Friday. "The FSS is in the process of finalizing the measures by collecting views from the bankers' federation." Money managers at local banks are fiercely opposing the move, as fraud checks are already rigorously done in their daily operations through middle- and back offices. Foreign banks with local branches will not be subject to enforcement on staffer rotations. The move could be in effect around the time the country's onshore currency market will be extended to 2 a.m. local time, or the end of London business day.

Persons: Thomas White, we're, Cynthia Kim, Kim Coghill Organizations: South, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Woori Bank, Financial Supervisory Service, Korean, Thomson Locations: South Korea, Rights SEOUL, London

The Bank of Korea (BOK) raised its benchmark policy rate (KROCRT=ECI) to 3.25% on Thursday, the highest level since 2012, after delivering a half-percentage point hike in October. The BOK is in the midst of its most aggressive policy tightening on record, having been a front-runner in withdrawing pandemic-era stimulus in the region when it started raising interest rates in August 2021. Since then, it has raised rates by a total of 275 basis points, delivering bigger 50-basis-point rate hikes for the first time since the current monetary framework was introduced in 1999. The central bank aims to keep inflation at 2%. The slowdown in the tightening pace has also been facilitated by a rebound in the local currency.

SEOUL, Nov 16 (Reuters) - South Korea's housing prices fell at the sharpest rate in at least 19 years in October, adding to expectations the nation's central bank will slow its pace of interest rate hikes in the coming weeks. In the capital Seoul, apartment prices declined 1.24%, the fastest since December 2008, extending losses to a ninth straight month. The national index for apartment transaction prices dropped 7.13% during the January-September period, on track for the biggest annual decline since that data was introduced in 2006. Analysts expect only one or two more interest rate hikes by the Bank of Korea for the remainder of this year and 2023 to take the terminal rate to 3.25% or 3.50%. South Korea's household debt-to-GDP ratios stood at 102.2% in the second quarter, data of 35 major economies from the Institute of International Finance showed.

SEOUL, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Across South Korea, events such as autumn foliage festivals and K-Pop concerts are canceled, and grief-stricken communities are putting off gatherings after a Seoul crowd crush killed at least 154 people, threatening to crimp growth further. Universities have canceled weekend retreats known as MTs, and the opening event of the two-week Korea Sale Festa, the Korean version of the Black Friday, was called off. South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju called off the Jeju Olle Walking Festival, scheduled from Nov 3 to 5. The Korea Baseball Organization and Korea Volleyball Federation both said there won't be cheerleaders during its championship series. South Korea's economic growth already decelerated last quarter in response to slowing exports and a weakening currency.

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