South Korea’s finance ministry says it is “almost certain” the country will reach US$40,000 in GNI per capita in 2026. The assessment follows the release of advance third-quarter data from the Bank of Korea (BOK), alongside a review of the economy’s performance and outlook.
The ministry links the expectation to growth that it says remains solid despite a high base effect from the first half, citing expansion of around 1% in the third quarter versus the previous three-month period. It also notes the government’s possibility for mid-3% growth this year and the finance minister’s stated range for 2026 economic growth of 3.4% to 3.6%.
Both outlets also reference that per capita GNI first exceeded US$30,000 in 2014, and they mention international context from the IMF’s projections for the US$40,000 and US$50,000 milestones. The reporting largely emphasizes the same government statement, with Yonhap presenting it as a straight news brief, while Korea Times adds more detail from the ministry and the minister’s growth outlook.
