The Bank of Korea has sounded an unusual alarm, cautioning that the generous performance bonuses spurred by the current boom cycle in the memory chip sector could ripple out from the semiconductor industry to affect a wider range of sectors, thereby escalating inflationary pressures. Following substantial bonus hikes for employees at Samsung and SK Hynix, there has been a marked uptick in luxury spending around chip manufacturing facilities. This trend has propelled retail stocks like Shinsegae, Lotte Shopping, and Hyundai Department Store into the limelight, dubbed as 'memory concept stocks.' The Bank of Korea forecasts that the overall inflation rate for this year could climb to 2.7%, significantly surpassing the 2% policy target. Consequently, the Bank of Korea's policy meetings scheduled for July or September are being closely watched as pivotal moments for potential interest rate adjustments.