BOK chief hints at rate cut, citing heightened uncertainty

The Bank of Korea governor has hinted at a possible easing of its monetary policy.
In a speech commemorating the central bank's 69th anniversary on Wednesday, BOK chief Lee Ju-yeol said uncertainty is growing sharply, citing the U.S.-China trade spat and the sluggish semiconductor industry.
He added that appropriate monetary policy measures may be needed...alluding to a possible rate cut.
At an economy-related minister meeting the same day, South Korea's finance minister Hong Nam-ki also said the U.S.-China trade spat is a downside risk to the Korean economy.
He vowed to nurture exports of five major consumer goods including cosmetics and pharmaceutical products through financial support and marketing, and help outbound shipments reach 35 billion U.S. dollars by 2022.