The Bank of Korea held its benchmark seven-day repurchase rate at 3.00% on Thursday, with all seven Monetary Policy Board members supporting the decision after consecutive 0.25-percentage-point increases in July and August. Governor Shin Hyun-song said core inflation is likely to exceed the Bank’s August forecast of 2.5% next year and remain above the 2% price-stability target before approaching it around 2028. He said monetary policy would pursue the target while considering growth and other conditions, rather than seeking to reach 2% immediately. Shin said the won remains weak on an effective-exchange-rate basis, although its move from around 1,370 to about 1,320 per U.S. dollar since August represented a correction of abnormal strength earlier in the summer. Strong semiconductor exports and artificial-intelligence infrastructure demand have improved the growth outlook, while a stock-market adjustment could temporarily slow consumption. The board will determine future rate increases based on inflation, growth and financial stability.