Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok addressed the need to enhance the "external safety net" in response to uncertainties about interest rates in the United States and other countries during an emergency macroeconomic meeting. Following the Federal Reserve's decision to maintain the benchmark interest rate, Choi highlighted the potential for increased global financial market volatility and called for heightened vigilance and coordinated efforts among relevant institutions. He emphasized the urgency of bolstering external safety mechanisms and announced the government's swift implementation of tax incentives and other support measures for businesses and citizens. The gap between the key interest rates of South Korea and the US widened to up to 2 percentage points after the Fed's latest decision, prompting the Bank of Korea to note that the Fed's approach was more cautious than expected. Fed Chair Jerome Powell's stance indicated a longer timeline for policy adjustment despite recent progress in inflation, leading to expectations of frequent market volatility based on economic indicators. BOK Deputy Gov. Park Jong-woo emphasized the need for continuous monitoring of domestic and international financial and foreign exchange markets in light of these developments.