South Korea briefs Moody's on budget, fiscal plans

The ministry said Deputy Minister for International Affairs Moon Ji-sung met with Maria Lee, a managing director at Moody's, and outlined the budget proposal as well as efforts to improve foreign investors' access to South Korean markets.

Moon highlighted the proposed Future Fund, which would be financed in part by windfall tax revenue from the global semiconductor upcycle driven by the artificial intelligence boom. He said the fund would prioritize strategic investment over one-off spending and help stabilize public finances.

In response, Moody's offered a positive assessment of Asia's fourth-largest economy, noting that Seoul's budget proposal seeks to balance fiscal soundness with efforts to secure future growth engines.

The agency also praised South Korea's successful issuance of foreign exchange stabilization bonds. Moon noted strong participation from major investors, including central banks of major economies and international organizations.

Moody's welcomed Seoul's efforts to improve foreign investors' access to its foreign exchange and capital markets. Moon pledged to further lower barriers and promote the internationalization of the won, which aims to enable the currency to be freely held, traded and raised outside South Korea.