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國際時事跟讀 Ep.K875:
South Korea Takes Bold Step to Revive Economy with Interest Rate Cut

Highlights 主題摘要：

• The Bank of Korea has cut its key interest rate to 3.25%, marking the first reduction in over four years, in an effort to stimulate South Korea's sluggish economy.
• The decision was influenced by slow domestic demand recovery, stabilizing inflation, and a cooling housing market, but the BOK remains cautious about further rate cuts.
• While aiming to boost economic growth, the BOK is balancing stimulation with financial stability concerns, particularly regarding household debt, and will continue monitoring market conditions closely.

South Korea's central bank, the Bank of Korea (BOK), has made a significant move to stimulate the country's sluggish economy. The BOK cut its key interest rate by 0.25 percentage points, bringing it down to 3.25%. This marks the first rate reduction in over four years, signaling a shift in the bank's monetary policy. The decision comes after a long period of rate increases, which began in August 2021 and saw the rate climb to a 15-year high of 3.5% in January 2023.

南韓中央銀行──韓國銀行（Bank of Korea，BOK）採取重大行動以刺激該國疲軟的經濟。韓國銀行將其關鍵利率下調 0.25 個百分點，降至 3.25％。這是四年多以來的首次降息，顯示著該行貨幣政策的轉變。此決定是在長期升息後做出的，升息始於 2021 年 8 月，並在 2023 年 1 月將利率推升至 15 年來的最高水平 3.5％。

The decision to lower interest rates comes as South Korea faces mounting economic challenges. The BOK cited a slow recovery in domestic demand and a sluggish pace of economic growth as primary reasons for the rate cut. Additionally, the bank noted that inflation has shown signs of stabilizing, with the consumer price inflation easing to 1.6% in September, below the policy target of 2%. This economic environment provided room for the central bank to take action without risking excessive inflation. The cooling housing market in the greater Seoul area also contributed to the decision, as it has led to a slower increase in household debt.

降息決定是在南韓面臨日益嚴峻的經濟挑戰之際做出的。韓國銀行援引國內需求復甦緩慢和經濟增長步伐遲緩作為降息的主要原因。此外，該行指出通貨膨脹已呈現穩定跡象，9 月份消費者物價通膨率降至 1.6％，低於 2％ 的政策目標。這種經濟環境為中央銀行採取行動提供了空間，而不會冒過度通膨的風險。首爾大都會區房地產市場降溫也促成了這一決定，因為它導致家庭債務增長放緩。

Despite the rate cut, the BOK remains cautious about further reductions. Governor Rhee Chang-yong described the move as a "hawkish cut," indicating that the bank still favors relatively tight monetary conditions. The central bank is keeping a close eye on various factors, including the recovery of domestic demand, economic conditions in major countries, and trends in information-technology exports. The ongoing crisis in the Middle East also poses potential risks to fuel prices, exchange rates, and public utility costs, which could impact the country's economic outlook. These uncertainties underscore the need for careful monitoring and potential adjustments to monetary policy in the future.

儘管降息，但韓國銀行對進一步降息仍持謹慎態度。行長李昌鏞（Rhee Chang-yong）將此舉描述為「鷹派式降息」，表明該行仍傾向於相對緊縮的貨幣條件。中央銀行正密切關注各種因素，包括國內需求的復甦、主要國家的經濟狀況以及資訊科技出口的趨勢。中東地區持續的危機也對燃料價格、匯率和公用事業價格構成潛在風險，可能影響該國的經濟前景。這些不確定因素凸顯了未來需要謹慎監測並可能調整貨幣政策的必要性。

The rate cut is expected to have far-reaching effects on South Korea's economy. It aims to encourage borrowing and spending, potentially boosting economic growth. However, the BOK remains vigilant about the potential risks associated with household debt, which has been a concern in recent years. The bank projects South Korea's economy to grow at 2.4% this year, down from 2.6% in 2023. As the country navigates these economic challenges, the central bank's decision reflects a delicate balance between stimulating growth and maintaining financial stability. The move has been welcomed by government officials, including Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who sees it as a positive step towards revitalizing the economy. However, the BOK has indicated that it will continue to monitor the situation closely and make decisions based on the stability of financial markets, suggesting a cautious approach to future rate adjustments.

預計降息將對南韓經濟產生深遠影響。它旨在鼓勵借貸和支出，可能會促進經濟增長。然而，韓國銀行對家庭債務相關的潛在風險保持警惕，這在近年來一直是一個令人擔憂的問題。該行預測南韓經濟今年將增長 2.4％，低於 2023 年的 2.6％。隨著該國應對這些經濟挑戰，中央銀行的決定反映了在刺激增長與維持金融穩定之間的微妙平衡。政府官員對此舉表示歡迎，包括財政部長崔尚穆（Choi Sang-mok），他認為這是振興經濟的積極一步。然而，韓國銀行表示將繼續密切監測局勢，並根據金融市場的穩定性做出決策，這暗示著未來利率調整將採取謹慎行動。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字：

1. Sluggish (Slug-gish): The decision to lower interest rates comes as South Korea faces mounting economic challenges. The BOK cited a slow recovery in domestic demand and a sluggish pace of economic growth as primary reasons for the rate cut.
2. Relatively (Rel-a-tive-ly): Governor Rhee Chang-yong described the move as a "hawkish cut," indicating that the bank still favors relatively tight monetary conditions.
3. Uncertainties (Un-cer-tain-ties): These uncertainties underscore the need for careful monitoring and potential adjustments to monetary policy in the future.
4. Associated (As-so-ci-at-ed): However, the BOK remains vigilant about the potential risks associated with household debt, which has been a concern in recent years.
5. Revitalizing (Re-vi-tal-iz-ing): The move has been welcomed by government officials, including Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who sees it as a positive step towards revitalizing the economy.

Reference article:
1. https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-rate-cut-central-bank-economy-66f3bdd72aae9910f072b08f901b711f
2. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/11/bank-of-korea-cuts-interest-rates-by-25-basis-points-after-holding-for-almost-two-years.html