韩国央行下调基准利率0.25个百分点至2.50%

2013年全球一周议息情况(5月6日-5月10日)

新华08网首尔5月9日电(记者权香兰)韩国央行——韩国银行9日宣布，将基准利率下调0.25个百分点至2.50%，以提振经济。这是韩国央行连续六个月保持基准利率不变之后，首次下调该利率。

韩国银行金融货币委员会当天召开例会说，韩国4月消费者物价涨幅低于2%，物价上涨压力减缓为下调基准利率提供了可能；同时，韩国经济增长持续低迷，日元汇率持续走低又给韩国出口增长带来负担，为了进一步提振经济，韩国央行决定下调基准利率。

相关分析指出，韩国政府在此前出台了一系列促进经济增长的政策，韩国央行有必要与政府携手为提振经济注入推动力。因此，本次央行下调基准利率是配合政府的“促进经济政策”之举。

受国际金融危机影响，2008年10月至2009年2月，韩国央行将基准利率从5.25%逐渐下调至2%的历史低点。但迫于通胀压力，韩国央行在2010年7月至2011年6月期间，共五次将基准利率各上调了0.25个百分点，至3.25%；此后，连续一年保持基准利率不变；2012年7月和10月则分别将基准利率下调了0.25个百分点至2.75%。(完)

附：韩国央行货币政策全文（英文版）

May9, 2013

TheBank of Korea

Monetary Policy Decision

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Korea decided today to lower the Base Rate by 25 basis points from 2.75% to 2.50%.

(The following is an unofficial English translation of the MonetaryPolicy Committee statement.)

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Korea decidedtoday to lower the Base Rate by 25 basis points from 2.75% to 2.50%.

Based on currently available information, the Committeeconsiders the moderate economic recovery in the US to have continued but thesluggishness of economic activities in the euro area to have deepened, while thetrends of improvement in economic indicators in emerging market countries suchas China have been weaker than initially anticipated, with the result that somecentral banks, including the ECB, have cut their policy rates. The Committeeexpects the global economy to continue its modest recovery going forward, butjudges that the downside risks to growth remain considerable due chiefly to uncertaintiesrelated for instance to the sluggishness of economic activity in the euro areaand to the implementations of fiscal consolidation in major countries.

In Korea,exports have maintained their trend of recovery, albeit at a modest pace, but theCommittee appraises economic growth to have remained weak, with indicatorsrelated to domestic demand alternating between improvement and worsening. Onthe employment front, the increase in the number of persons employed hasaccelerated, centering around the 50-and-above age group. Going forward thereis no change to the Committee’s forecast that the domestic economy will show anegative output gap for a considerable time, due mostly to the slow recovery ofthe global economy, to the influence of Japanese yen weakening, and to thegeopolitical risk in Korea.

Consumerprice inflation recorded 1.2% in April, a level similar to that in the previousmonth (of 1.3%). Core inflation excluding the prices of agricultural andpetroleum products was 1.4%, also similar to its March level of 1.5%. TheCommittee forecasts that inflation will remain low for the time being, providedthere are no occurrences of exceptional factors on the supply side. As for housingprices, the downtrend of those in Seoul and its surrounding areas slowed astransactions increased, and those in the rest of the country continued on theirmoderate uptrend.

Inthe financial markets, stock prices and the exchange rate have fluctuatedsubstantially under the influence chiefly of concerns about geopolitical riskin Korea and about worsening corporate performances, and the consequentoutflows of foreigner stock investment funds. Long-term market interest rates, whilegreatly influenced by foreigners’ investment in bond futures, have fluctuated inresponse to changes in expectations related to monetary policy and the economy.

Looking ahead, the Committee will closely monitor the effectsof the Base Rate cut and the economic policies of the government including thesupplementary budget, strive to improve the sentiments of economic agents and lowerinflation expectations, and conduct monetary policy so as to keep consumerprice inflation within the inflationtarget range over a medium-term horizon while ensuring that the growthpotential is not eroded due to the continuation of slow growth.