South Korea gets praises for early rate hikes, it’s time for a breather

SOUTH Korea wants to win its tussle with inflation early. The central bank’s back-to-back interest-rate increases get 2022 off to an assertive start. So much so that the bulk of the work might even be done.

The Bank of Korea (BoK) raised its benchmark rate Friday by a quarter point to 1.25%, as most economists predicted. The nudge followed tightening in August and November, giving the BoK a reputation as one of the more hawkish monetary authorities in Asia, along with the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.