South Korea's central bank keeps rates unchanged amid rising tariff uncertainty

Odaily Planet Daily News On April 17, the Bank of Korea kept interest rates unchanged at its April meeting, taking a widely expected breather as it considers how best to support an economy facing a severe blow from US tariffs. Twenty of the 25 economists surveyed before the rate decision predicted no rate changes in April, expecting the uncertainty caused by Trump's erratic trade statements to make policymakers at the Bank of Korea cautious. The central bank may also want more time to assess the impact of previous rate cuts before taking further action. As Asia's fourth-largest economy, South Korea relies on exports for nearly half of its GDP growth, making it vulnerable to trade disruptions brought about by the comprehensive tariffs recently announced by the United States. (Jinshi)