On May 11, Choo Kyung-ho, South Korea's Finance Minister, announced that the nation's economic growth rate is anticipated to surpass 2% this year, buoyed by a significant uptick in global demand for semiconductors. The precise growth rate, he noted, will hinge on the semiconductor industry cycle and the geopolitical situation in the Middle East. Minister Choo highlighted that South Korea's exports exhibited robust performance in April, surging by 48%, and achieving a trade surplus of US$23.8 billion. Furthermore, the current account surplus reached an all-time high of US$37.3 billion in March. Nonetheless, he cautioned that inflation and the real estate market pose significant risks that the government must tackle urgently.
