BOK chief defends rate freeze aimed at curbing household debt

South Korea's central bank chief on Tuesday defended the bank's latest rate freeze decision, saying that the level of household debt is inching toward a point that can cause an economic slowdown and a potential financial crisis. Last week, the Bank of Korea (BOK) held its key rate steady at 3.5 percent for the 13th straight session due to soaring home prices but opened the door for a policy pivot this year. "We judged that a rate cut can further stoke home prices and increase the volatility in the currency market," BOK Gov. Rhee Chang-yong said at a forum. There have been various opinions over the central bank's rate freeze decision, but at the moment, policymakers should review why the central bank should hesitate in slashing the key rate in the face of high household debt and soaring home prices, Rhee said. The central bank's rate freeze decision is intended to highlight the dangers of such a vicious cycle of excessive demand in some areas, namely the posh Gangnam district, according to the central ban k chief. Source: Yonhap News Agency