
Korean stocks slide as BoK begins tightening with first rate hike in three years
South Korea’s central bank raised its policy rate by 0.25 percentage point to 2.75%, the first hike in more than three years and the first under new governor Shin Hyun-song, as inflation pressure from a semiconductor-driven AI boom grows. The move sent the Kospi down over 6% and the won to around 1,484 per dollar, with consumer inflation at about 3.2% in June and energy costs rising. Officials cited chipmakers’ strong demand, wage gains and broader domestic demand as reasons for tighter policy, and analysts expect further hikes later this year and into 2027 to contain inflation while supporting growth.





