Bank of Korea Abruptly Removes Foreign-Reserve Ranking After 25 Years

For the first time in more than 25 years, the Bank of Korea has stopped publishing South Korea's place in the global ranking of foreign-exchange reserves. The change appeared without advance warning in data released on Sept. 3 for reserves at the end of August 2026.

The bank had disclosed country rankings every month since February 2001. It compiled the figures using International Monetary Fund data and statistics from central banks, allowing readers to see how South Korea's reserves compared with those of other major economies.

Foreign-exchange reserves are a key indicator of a country's ability to make payments abroad and absorb external shocks. By publishing international comparisons alongside its reserve figures, the Bank of Korea had made it easy to gauge South Korea's position globally.

The sudden withdrawal has prompted criticism that the central bank did not communicate adequately with users of its statistics. The controversy centers not only on the removal itself, but also on the decision to end a long-standing, regular disclosure without notifying the public in advance. The bank indicated that the ranking could be checked through the IMF if necessary.