The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised its benchmark lending rate by a quarter percentage point, sending it to the highest level since 2001.
The rise increases the key rate to a range between 5.25 percent and 5.5 percent, while further widening the gap between the key rates of South Korea and the United States.
South Korea's central bank kept its benchmark rate frozen at 3.5 percent earlier this month.
Source: Yonhap News Agency