Wednesday, October 7, 2026English edition
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Country risk, from the local press

South Korea · Country watch

Finance Minister's Inflation Focus, Seoul Tourist Surge

South Korea's finance minister prioritizes inflation control, while Seoul sees a significant increase in tourist spending.

· · 5 sources

The picture Stable

Business conditions in South Korea remain stable as the finance minister emphasizes inflation control and economic growth, while tourism spending in Seoul surges, indicating a rebound in the sector.

In this briefing KOSPI · KOSDAQ · Seoul Metropolitan Government · Lee Hyoung-il · National Assembly (South Korea)

Regulation

Nothing significant reported today.

Disruption

Nothing significant reported today.

Internal tension

Nothing significant reported today.

Safety & health

Nothing significant reported today.

Companies

Nothing significant reported today.

Markets

  • finance

KOSPI falls below 7,000 amid interest rate concerns

people walking between tall buildings
Shawn / Unsplash

South Korea's KOSPI index fell by 62.35 points, or 0.89%, closing at 6,941.39 on Tuesday, as concerns over interest rates persisted, eDaily reports. The KOSDAQ, however, rose by 2.98% to 919.92. In the foreign exchange market, the Korean won slightly appreciated against the US dollar, closing at 1,343.6 won per dollar, down 0.4 won from the previous session.

Impact Investors in South Korean equities face challenges as interest rate concerns weigh on the KOSPI index.

Sources: eDaily ↗

Trade

  • tourism
  • retail

Seoul tourist spending jumps nearly 60% in 2026

Foreign tourists' card spending in Seoul surged by 59.9% to 7.78 trillion won ($5.79 billion) in the first eight months of 2026, nearly matching the total spent throughout last year, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The number of foreign visitors to the city rose by 21.6% to 11.56 million during the same period, Korea.net reports. The increase in spending outpaced the growth in visitor numbers, indicating a strong recovery in the tourism sector.

Impact Retailers and service providers in Seoul benefit from increased tourist spending, boosting the local economy.

Sources: The Korea Herald ↗, Korea.net ↗

Politics

  • public-sector
  • finance

Finance Minister Lee Hyoung-il targets inflation control

Finance Minister Lee Hyoung-il emphasized controlling inflation and boosting economic growth during a parliamentary audit on Tuesday. Lee outlined plans for government-led initiatives, including three major projects, to address the cost-of-living burden and stimulate growth, according to The Korea Herald and Korea.net. He highlighted these priorities as crucial for improving people's livelihoods and ensuring economic stability.

Impact Exporters and investors in South Korea are affected by the government's focus on inflation control and economic growth initiatives.

Sources: The Korea Herald ↗, Korea.net ↗

Also today in South Korea

Sources in this briefing

Sources: each headline links to the original article on the publisher's site.

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