South Korea short-term external debt burden falls in Q4

[SEOUL] South Korea's ratio of short-term external debt to foreign reserves fell to 31.7 per cent by the end of December from 33.3 per cent three months before, marking the lowest level in nearly a decade, data showed on Thursday.

Short-term external debt fell to US$115.3 billion by the end of December from a revised US$121.5 billion at the end of September, while foreign reserves edged down to US$363.6 billion from US$364.4 billion, the finance ministry data showed.

The latest ratio of short-term external debt to foreign reserves was the lowest since 31.5 per cent at the end of June 2005.

REUTERS