ContextKeynote speech by Chang Yong Rhee, Governor of the Bank of Korea, at the "Asia in 2050 Conference", organised by the International Monetary Fund and the Bank of Thailand, Bangkok, 5 March 2026.
Why it mattersThe Bank of Korea Governor asks whether Asia can stay the world's growth engine as its populations age.
Problems raised
Asia's growth engine may slow.
Ageing populations weigh on growth.
General reform recipes do not fit every country.
Solutions proposed
Nurture strategic industries like AI.
Reform labour markets and pensions.
Increase participation of women and older workers.
ContextText of the 2025 Michel Camdessus Central Banking Lecture by Chang Yong Rhee, Governor of the Bank of Korea, at the International Monetary Fund, Washington DC, 18 September 2025.
Why it mattersThe Bank of Korea governor shares how emerging economies can combine several tools in crises, including support for bond markets near the lower bound.
Problems raised
Emerging economies have fragile fundamentals and foreign debt.
Small bond markets can push rates up in crises.
Policy may hit the effective lower bound.
Solutions proposed
Use an integrated policy framework.
Support bond market functioning in crises.
Learn from Indonesia's successful crisis response.
ContextKeynote speech by Chang Yong Rhee, Governor of the Bank of Korea, at the joint 2025 conference of the Bank of Korea (BOK), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Journal of International Money and Finance (JIMof), Seoul, 16 July 2025.
Why it mattersKorea's governor explains how household debt and currency swings shaped the pace of rate cuts after the pandemic.
Problems raised
Korea's household debt is a structural vulnerability.
Exchange rate volatility limited rate cuts.
Inflation risked becoming entrenched.
Solutions proposed
Coordinate monetary and macroprudential policies.
Manage inflation expectations in time.
Rely on Korea's net foreign assets to absorb shocks.
ContextCommemorative speech in Seoul for the 75th anniversary of the Bank of Korea; the central bank keeps prices and finance stable and faces an ageing population and high household debt.
Why it mattersKorea's governor uses the bank's 75th anniversary to urge structural reforms blocked by social conflict.
ContextFPA medal acceptance speech by Chang Yong Rhee, Governor of the Bank of Korea, at the Foreign Policy Association Statesman Dinner 2025, Seoul, 21 April 2025.
Why it mattersKorea's governor explains how the central bank stays neutral and independent during political upheaval at home.
Problems raised
Political divides and geopolitical tensions are rising.
ContextKeynote speech by Chang Yong Rhee, Governor of the Bank of Korea, at the Global Engagement & Empowerment Forum 2025 on Sustainable Development "Time for Action: Bridging Divides for a Sustainable Future", organised by the Yonsei University, Seoul, 14 March 2025.
Why it mattersKorea's governor treats falling births and climate change as threats to the country's sustainability.
ContextKeynote speech by Chang Yong Rhee, Governor of the Bank of Korea, at the Korea International Economic Association Winter Conference, Seoul, 23 December 2024.
Why it mattersKorea's governor answers criticism of slow rate cuts by pointing to property and debt risks.
Problems raised
The Bank of Korea was criticised as slow.
Rate cuts could fuel property prices.
Financial imbalances are growing.
Solutions proposed
Apply an Integrated Policy Framework.
Coordinate rates with macroprudential tools.
Weigh real economy and financial stability together.
ContextCommemorative speech in Seoul for the 74th anniversary of the Bank of Korea; the central bank keeps prices and finance stable and faces structural challenges such as ageing.
Why it mattersKorea's governor warns that easing too early could fuel household debt.
ContextOpening dinner speech at the Korean Economic Associations annual meeting in Seoul; the Bank of Korea keeps prices and finance stable and faces structural reform needs.
Why it mattersRhee thanks academic economists for advising policy.
ContextWelcoming remarks by Chang Yong Rhee, Governor of the Bank of Korea, at the opening ceremony of the International Conference on Green Finance, co-hosted by the 2050 Presidential commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth and the Bank of Korea, Seoul, 20 June 2023.
Why it mattersRhee presents climate stress tests and ESG factors in reserve management.
Problems raised
Climate change creates risks for the economy and finance.
Financial institutions must measure climate risks.
ContextKeynote speech by Chang Yong Rhee, Governor of the Bank of Korea, at the press conference after "Review on Inflation Targeting Operations", Seoul, 20 December 2022.
Why it mattersRhee reviews how the inflation target worked during a year of hikes.
ContextOpening address by Chang Yong Rhee, Governor of the Bank of Korea, at the Bank of Korea - Korean Economic Association International Conference 2022, Seoul, 11 November 2022.
Why it mattersRhee discusses how fragmentation weakens Korea's trade-led growth.
ContextSpeech at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington; the Bank of Korea keeps prices and finance stable during fast global rate rises.
Why it mattersRhee explains Korea's hikes amid accelerating global tightening.
ContextKeynote address by Chang Yong Rhee, Governor of the Bank of Korea, at the IMF-Singapore Regional Training Institute (STI) Peer-Learning Webinar, 28 September 2022.
Why it mattersRhee shares lessons from Korea's hands-on CBDC experiment.
ContextPaper presentation at the Kansas City Fed's Jackson Hole Symposium; the Bank of Korea keeps prices and finance stable and studies unconventional policy in small open economies.
Why it mattersRhee draws lessons from unconventional policy in emerging markets.
ContextCommemorative speech to staff for the 72nd anniversary of the Bank of Korea; the central bank keeps prices and finance stable as inflation rises.
Why it mattersRhee thanks staff on the institution's birthday.
