(MENAFN) South Korea's central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at a record-equaling low of 2 percent for the fourth straight month, The Peninsula Qatar reported.
The decision was widely expected as the Bank of Korea is still gauging the impact of previous rate reductions. It cut the base rate twice last year, in August and October, by 0.25 percent.
South Korea's economy registered its slowest growth for more than two years in the fourth quarter, expanding 0.4 percent in the October-December period from the previous quarter.
The BOK slashed its economic growth forecast for 2015 to 3.4 percent, down from an earlier forecast of 3.9 percent. Some analysts predict a fresh 25 basis points cut in April or May after the first quarter performance.
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