Lates News

Economist Min Joo Kang of the Dutch International Group stated that South Korea's semiconductor-led economic growth may begin to slow down from the second quarter. Although chip manufacturers have not faced significant shortages of raw materials due to the Middle East conflict, stocks of key input materials may be exhausted in the coming quarters. "If supply disruptions persist, negative impacts may become apparent in the second half of 2026." She added that even if the conflict ends in a few weeks, these interruptions may still suppress manufacturing activity and increase cost pressures. The Dutch International Group has lowered its forecasts for South Korea's GDP growth in the second and third quarters and revised its 2026 GDP growth rate expectations from 2.2% to 2.0%.