Korean economy likely to rebound in 2026 on easing uncertainties, policy support: IMF official

Korea's economy is expected to rebound in 2026, driven by easing uncertainties and accommodative policies, an official from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Wednesday, calling on the country to put in efforts to revitalize domestic consumption and accelerate structural reforms to further boost growth. "Prolonged domestic political and global trade policy uncertainties have weighed on (Korea's) growth in 2025," IMF mission chief for Korea Rahul Anand said in a statement on the preliminary findings of the mission, concluding the mission's trip to Korea that began Sept. 11. "Growth is expected to reach 0.9 percent in 2025, as domestic demand gradually recovers, supported by more accommodative fiscal and monetary policies, and strong semiconductor external demand offsets declines in other exports." Korea's real gross domestic product (GDP) — a key measure of economic growth — is expected to expand by 1.8 percent in 2026, while inflation will likely remain close to the target of 2 percent throughout next year. But to reach the target of 3 percent growth, Korea should further revWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times