Time deposits at KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori and NH NongHyup Bank reached 1,010.3722 trillion won, or approximately $729.5 billion, as of the 17th, up 5.1403 trillion won from the previous month. The balance exceeded 1,000 trillion won for the first time after a 35.5401 trillion won increase in July and cumulative inflows of 73.1888 trillion won from May through the 17th. Rising rates are encouraging companies to place idle operating funds in fixed-term accounts and drawing household money from equities and other assets. The Bank of Korea’s base rate stands at 3.00%, while major banks offer one-year deposit rates of up to 3.89% including preferential terms. Analysts expect the shift to continue if rates rise further, with KB Securities estimating that about 84.7 trillion won could move into short-term savings deposits if household allocation patterns return to 2022 levels.