FX.co ★ South Korea Industrial Output Tops Forecasts

South Korea’s industrial production increased by 0.3% month-on-month in March 2026, a marked slowdown from the downwardly revised 5.3% gain recorded in February, but slightly above market expectations of a 0.2% rise. The overall uptick in output was driven by a 0.3% increase in manufacturing. Services activity also advanced, climbing 1.4%, while the construction sector and public administration contracted by 7.3% and 3.3%, respectively. For the first quarter as a whole, industrial output grew 2.7% compared with the previous quarter. On an annual basis, industrial production rose 3.6% in March, rebounding from an upwardly revised 2.3% decline in February, though it came in just below the consensus forecast of a 3.8% increase.