Korea Morning Headlines — 2026-05-29

Politics

No major political news reported today.

Economy

BOK holds base rate at 2.5% for 8th time; hints at future hikes

In his first Monetary Policy Committee meeting, Bank of Korea Governor Hyun Song Shin kept the base rate at 2.5%, but the meeting statement dropped the word "increase" 18 times, signaling a strong shift. The dot plot showed 19 out of 21 dots pointing toward a rate above 3% within the next six months.

Clear signal of hikes after MPC meeting… "Decision to follow review of inflation, exchange rates, and real estate"

Despite uncertainties like the Middle East crisis, Governor Shin suggested potential hikes within the year, stating, "We will decide on the timing after monitoring inflation, exchange rates, growth, and real estate." Experts are leaning toward a high probability of a rate hike this year.

Society

Labor market participation for those in their late 20s hits 6-year low

In April, the number of people in their late 20s who are "resting" (not participating in the economy) rose by 30,000 from the previous month, marking the largest increase since 2020. This suggests deepening difficulties in the youth labor market.

All information was collected from official news outlets. Check the source links for more details on each item.