South Korea's short-term external debt burden declines at end-Q4 vs end-Q3

[SEOUL] South Korea's ratio of short-term external debt to foreign reserves fell to 29.6 per cent by the end of December last year from 32.5 per cent three months prior, the lowest level in over a decade, data showed on Thursday.

Short-term external debt fell to US$108.7 billion by end-December from US$119.6 billion at the end of September, while foreign reserves edged down to US$367.96 billion from US$368.11 billion over the same period, central bank data showed.

The latest ratio of short-term external debt to foreign reserves was the lowest since it stood at 27.3 per cent at the end of 2004.

REUTERS