SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's central bank raised its policy interest rate on Friday for the first time in a year in a widely expected move seen aimed at containing a boom in the property market.
The Bank of Korea's monetary policy committee increased the base rate
Governor Lee Ju-yeol is due to hold a news conference starting at 0220 GMT.
The decision, tipped by 15 out of 16 economists in a Reuters survey, marked the first tightening in policy since November last year and brought the benchmark rate to its highest level since mid-2015.
Policymakers have been concerned about a property boom in the Seoul area and a surge in consumer finance, prompting various property restrictions.