With the US presidential election just one week away, the competition between former President Trump and Vice President Harris remains fierce, and both candidates are expected to maintain protectionist trade policies regardless of who wins. This is heightening concerns about a resurgence of the US-China trade war and a slowdown in global economic growth. In particular, China is expected to suffer significant damage from US tariff increases, and the European Union is also likely to experience reduced exports. Additionally, the escalation of the Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas conflict is expected to drive up international oil prices and create supply chain disruptions, intensifying global economic anxiety. The IMF has downgraded next year's global economic growth rate to 3.2%, and the Korean economy is also projected to slow. Financial market volatility, including a rising won-dollar exchange rate, continues to pose concerns about negative impacts on the Korean economy.
