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Bank of Korea: base rate, national accounts and ECOS

The Bank of Korea is South Korea's central bank. Its Monetary Policy Board sets the Base Rate, and the Bank compiles the national accounts, including quarterly GDP, the balance of payments and flow of funds. Its Economic Statistics System (ECOS) publishes these and many series from other agencies, such as consumer prices, employment and housing prices, with a free API.

Release calendar

What it publishes

• Base Rate decisions, statements and Monetary Policy Board minutes.
• Quarterly and annual GDP and gross national income.
• Balance of payments, international reserves and external debt.
• Exchange rates, interest rates and money supply.
• Monetary Policy Report and Financial Stability Report.
• Republished series from other bodies, including CPI, employment, wages and housing prices.

Key datasets

• ECOS
  Searchable database of economic statistics with charts and downloads.
  Updated: Updated daily
• Bank of Korea (English)
  Monetary policy decisions, current Base Rate and publications.
  Updated: As released

APIs and downloads

• ECOS Open API
  Free JSON and XML API; a sample key returns up to 10 rows and a free personal key allows full queries.

When it publishes

The Monetary Policy Board meets eight times a year to decide the Base Rate. The advance GDP estimate is released about four weeks after each quarter, followed by a preliminary estimate. Monthly statistics follow the Bank's release calendar.

How to use it to check a claim

1. Quote the Base Rate with the date it took effect.
2. For GDP, say whether the figure is the advance or preliminary estimate and whether it is quarter-on-quarter or year-on-year.
3. For series that ECOS republishes, name the original producer (for example the Ministry of Data and Statistics or the Ministry of Employment and Labor).

Common mistakes

• Dollar-denominated GDP and per-person income move with the exchange rate.
• ECOS sometimes splits a series when a classification changes, as with wage data from 2026; check that you are comparing like with like.

Who publishes South Korea's GDP?

The Bank of Korea compiles the national accounts and publishes quarterly and annual GDP, not the statistics ministry.

Can I get Korean economic data by API?

Yes. The ECOS Open API is free; register for a personal key to download full series.

Questions answered using this source

• What is the Bank of Korea base rate?
• What is South Korea's GDP and is the economy growing?
• What is South Korea's GDP per capita?
• What is the won to dollar exchange rate?
• Are house prices rising in South Korea?
• What is the average salary in South Korea?

Links checked 14 October 2026. This page describes what the source publishes and gives no verdict on any claim.