THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA
The Economy
Gross Domestic Product
Based on preliminary data, GDP growth in the first nine months of 2022 was 3.1% at chained 2015 year prices, primarily due to an increase in aggregate private and general government consumption expenditures by 4.8% and an increase in exports of goods and services by 4.8%, the effects of which were offset in part by an increase in imports of goods and services by 7.8%, each compared with the corresponding period of 2021.
Principal Sectors of the Economy
Prices, Wages and Employment
Based on preliminary data, the inflation rate was 5.0% and the unemployment rate was 2.5% in the first nine months of 2022.
The Financial System
Securities Markets
The Korea Composite Stock Price Index was 2,472.1 on August 31, 2022, 2,155.5 on September 30, 2022, 2,293.6 on October 31, 2022, 2,472.5 on November 30, 2022, 2,236.4 on December 29, 2022, 2,425.1 on January 31, 2023 and 2,451.7 on February 7, 2023.
Monetary Policy
Interest Rates
The Bank of Korea raised its policy rate from 1.75% to 2.25% on July 13, 2022, 2.50% on August 25, 2022, 3.00% on October 12, 2022, 3.25% on November 24, 2022 and 3.50% on January 13, 2023 in response to rising levels of household debt and inflationary pressures.
Foreign Exchange
The market average exchange rate between the Won and the U.S. Dollar (in Won per one U.S. Dollar) as announced by the Seoul Money Brokerage Service Ltd. was Won 1,347.5 to US$1.00 on August 31, 2022, Won 1,434.8 to US$1.00 on September 30, 2022, Won 1,419.3 to US$1.00 on October 31, 2022, Won 1,331.5 to US$1.00 on November 30, 2022, Won 1,267.3 to US$1.00 on December 30, 2022, Won 1,230.8 to US$1.00 on January 31, 2023 and Won 1,247.5 to US$1.00 on February 7, 2023.
Balance of Payments and Foreign Trade
Balance of Payments
Based on preliminary data, the Republic recorded a current account surplus of US$24.1 billion in the first nine months of 2022. The current account surplus in the first nine months of 2022 decreased from the current account surplus of US$67.4 billion in the corresponding period of 2021, primarily due to decreases in surpluses from the goods account and the income account, which were offset in part by a decrease in deficit from the services account.
Trade Balance
Based on preliminary data, the Republic recorded a trade deficit of US$28.9 billion in the first nine months of 2022. Exports increased by 12.2% to US$524.7 billion in the first nine months of 2022 from US$467.7 billion
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