Korea's growth momentum to strengthen amid chip boom: finance minister

Finance Minister Lee Hyoung-il told global credit rating agencies in Bangkok Sunday that Korea’s growth is projected to reach the 3 percent range this year, supported by chip exports and facility investment. He said the momentum should strengthen over the medium to long term as the government develops future growth engines and pursues a green transition. Lee also outlined plans for a Future Fund and expanded AI cooperation with multilateral development banks.

Lee met separately with senior officials from Moody’s, Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings during the IMF and World Bank Group Annual Meetings.

The government plans to launch the Future Fund next year and use strong tax revenues from the chip supercycle to support long-term growth.

Lee said measures to reduce economic disparities would focus on housing, jobs and financial services while addressing gaps among businesses, generations, income groups and regions.

Lee signed memorandums of understanding with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration to expand AI cooperation.

Lee took part in 25 sessions during his Bangkok visit, including 19 bilateral meetings, according to the Ministry of Finance and Economy.

Published Oct 18, 2026 11:19 am KST

Finance Minister Lee Hyoung-il, right, poses for a photo with Marie Diron, global head of Moody's Sovereign and Sub-Sovereign Risk Group, in Bangkok, Oct. 16. Courtesy of the Ministry of Finance and Economy

BANGKOK — Finance Minister Lee Hyoung-il has stressed Korea's economic growth is set to gain further momentum amid the chip supercycle during meetings with officials from global credit rating agencies, his office said Sunday.

Lee met separately with senior officials from three global credit rating agencies — Moody's, Fitch and S&P — on the sidelines of the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group in Bangkok, according to the Ministry of Finance and Economy.

The meetings involved Marie Diron, global head of Moody's Sovereign and Sub-Sovereign Risk Group; James Longsdon, global group head of Sovereign and Supranational Ratings at Fitch Ratings; and Roberto Sifon-Arevalo, global head of sovereign analytics and research at S&P Global Ratings.

According to the ministry, the finance minister briefed them on Korea's recent economic performance.

He said Korea is projected to grow at the 3 percent range this year, supported by solid chip exports and increased facility investment, with the growth momentum expected to strengthen over the medium to long term.

Lee added that the government will spare no effort to develop future growth engines through government-led initiatives, including the three megaprojects and the green transition.

To achieve sustainable growth, Lee emphasized the need to address economic disparities as the government pursues measures to support vulnerable groups in three key areas -- housing, jobs and financial services.

The government is also working to narrow disparities among businesses, generations, income groups and regions.

The finance ministry said the three credit rating agencies expressed keen interest in how the Korean government plans to use strong tax revenues from the chip supercycle. Lee explained details of the Future Fund, which will launch next year.

The credit rating agencies noted the supercycle in the semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) industries has helped Korea cope with other challenges, such as population aging and the war in the Middle East.

They said Korea maintains stable economic indicators and sound public finances, noting their assessments of Asia's No. 4 economy remain stable, according to the ministry.

Meanwhile, Lee met with senior officials from multilateral development banks, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), and signed separate memorandums of understanding (MOUs) to enhance exchanges in AI.

EBRD President Renaud-Basso said Korea is playing a leading role in the AI sector, noting the EBRD hopes to enhance its capacity and expertise through cooperation with the country, according to the ministry.

She highlighted potential cooperation with Korea in various areas of nuclear energy, including reactor safety.

Lee asked the EBRD to actively promote the use of Korean firms' advanced technologies in the bank's various energy and nuclear projects.

During a meeting with Gisela Sanchez, president of the CABEI, the two sides signed an MOU on establishing an AI and digital transformation center and a separate agreement providing a legal basis for the bank's existing office in the country.

Lee asked the CABEI to identify specific AI projects drawing on the capabilities of both sides, with Sanchez expressing hope Korean firms would expand their presence in the region through such projects.

Lee also held a series of bilateral meetings during his first major international event since taking office last month.

Following Friday's "two-plus-two" meeting between senior Korean and U.S. finance and monetary officials, Lee met separately with U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Francis Brooke, stressing the need for close communication and cooperation.

In talks with Swiss President Guy Parmelin, Lee discussed potential cooperation in areas such as AI, while expressing interest in Switzerland's foreign exchange policies and economic resilience. Parmelin noted that the free trade agreement between Korea and the European Free Trade Association had provided a solid foundation for bilateral ties.

Lee also exchanged views with Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan on energy, defense, infrastructure and sovereign wealth funds, asking Saudi Arabia to share its experience in operating the Public Investment Fund.

In a meeting with Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski, Lee expressed hope for closer defense cooperation. Poland was invited to this year's G20 finance ministers' meeting.

Lee took part in 25 sessions during his Bangkok visit, including 19 bilateral meetings, according to the finance ministry.

韩国财政部长李亨日周日在曼谷向全球信用评级机构表示，在芯片出口和设施投资的支撑下，韩国今年的经济增长预计将达到3%左右。他表示，随着政府开发未来增长引擎并推进绿色转型，中长期来看，这一增长势头将进一步增强。李亨日还概述了未来基金的计划，以及扩大与多边开发银行在人工智能领域的合作。

在国际货币基金组织和世界银行集团年会期间，李分别会见了穆迪、惠誉评级和标普全球评级的高级官员。

政府计划明年启动未来基金，并利用芯片超级周期带来的强劲税收收入来支持长期增长。

李表示，减少经济差距的措施将侧重于住房、就业和金融服务，同时解决企业、世代、收入群体和地区之间的差距。

李与欧洲复兴开发银行和中美洲经济一体化银行签署了谅解备忘录，以扩大人工智能领域的合作。

据财政经济部消息，李显龙总理在曼谷访问期间参加了 25 场会议，其中包括 19 场双边会晤。

发布于2026年10月18日上午11:19（韩国标准时间）

10月16日，泰国财政部长李亨日（右）在曼谷与穆迪主权和次主权风险集团全球主管玛丽·迪龙合影。图片由泰国财政经济部提供。

曼谷——韩国财政部长李亨日办公室周日表示，李亨日在与全球信用评级机构官员的会晤中强调，在芯片超级周期的推动下，韩国经济增长将进一步加速。

据财政经济部消息，李显龙总理在曼谷举行的国际货币基金组织和世界银行集团年会期间，分别会见了穆迪、惠誉和标普这三家全球信用评级机构的高级官员。

参加会议的有穆迪主权和次主权风险集团全球主管玛丽·迪龙；惠誉评级主权和超国家评级全球集团主管詹姆斯·朗斯顿；以及标普全球评级主权分析和研究全球主管罗伯托·西丰-阿雷瓦洛。

据该部称，财政部长向他们介绍了韩国近期的经济表现。

他表示，在强劲的芯片出口和不断增加的设施投资的支撑下，韩国今年的经济预计将增长3%左右，并且中长期来看，增长势头有望增强。

李补充说，政府将不遗余力地通过政府主导的举措来发展未来的增长引擎，包括三大项目和绿色转型。

李显龙强调，为实现可持续增长，政府需要解决经济差距问题，并采取措施在住房、就业和金融服务这三个关键领域支持弱势群体。

政府也在努力缩小企业、世代、收入群体和地区之间的差距。

财政部表示，三大信用评级机构对韩国政府如何利用芯片行业超级周期带来的强劲税收收入表现出浓厚的兴趣。李先生详细介绍了将于明年启动的“未来基金”。

信用评级机构指出，半导体和人工智能（AI）行业的超级周期帮助韩国应对了人口老龄化和中东战争等其他挑战。

据该部称，他们表示韩国保持着稳定的经济指标和良好的公共财政，并指出他们对亚洲第四大经济体的评估仍然稳定。

与此同时，李显龙会见了包括欧洲复兴开发银行（EBRD）和中美洲经济一体化银行（CABEI）在内的多家多边开发银行的高级官员，并签署了单独的谅解备忘录（MOU），以加强人工智能领域的交流。

据韩国财政部消息，欧洲复兴开发银行行长雷诺-巴索表示，韩国在人工智能领域发挥着领导作用，并指出欧洲复兴开发银行希望通过与韩国的合作来提升自身能力和专业知识。

她强调了与韩国在核能各个领域（包括反应堆安全）的潜在合作。

李要求欧洲复兴开发银行积极推动韩国企业先进技术在该行各种能源和核能项目中得到应用。

在与中美洲及加勒比经济银行行长吉塞拉·桑切斯会面期间，双方签署了一份关于建立人工智能和数字化转型中心的谅解备忘录，以及一份为该银行在该国现有办事处提供法律依据的单独协议。

李要求中亚商务投资署确定利用双方能力的具体人工智能项目，桑切斯表示希望韩国企业能够通过此类项目扩大在该地区的业务。

李光耀上个月就任总理以来，首次出席重大国际活动，期间还举行了一系列双边会晤。

在周五韩美两国高级财政货币官员举行“2+2”会晤后，李明博分别会见了美国财政部副部长弗朗西斯·布鲁克，强调了密切沟通与合作的必要性。

李明博与瑞士总统帕尔梅林会谈时，探讨了人工智能等领域的潜在合作，并对瑞士的外汇政策和经济韧性表示关注。帕尔梅林指出，韩国与欧洲自由贸易联盟签署的自由贸易协定为双边关系奠定了坚实的基础。

李还与沙特财政大臣穆罕默德·本·阿卜杜拉·贾丹就能源、国防、基础设施和主权财富基金交换了意见，并请沙特阿拉伯分享其在运营公共投资基金方面的经验。

李在与波兰财政部长安杰伊·多曼斯基会晤时，表达了希望加强防务合作的愿望。波兰受邀参加今年的二十国集团财长会议。

据财政部消息，李在曼谷访问期间参加了 25 场会议，其中包括 19 场双边会晤。