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

Odaily News The Bank of Korea left interest rates unchanged at its April meeting on April 17, taking a widely expected breather as it considers how best to support an economy facing a severe blow from U.S. tariffs. Twenty of 25 economists surveyed before the rate decision forecast no rate change in April, expecting uncertainty from Trump's erratic trade statements to make Bank of Korea policymakers 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)