Korea lifts growth outlook, bets big on chip boom

South Korea on Tuesday raised its 2026 economic growth forecast from 2 percent to 3 percent and unveiled plans to turn the current semiconductor boom into a lasting increase in the country's growth potential. The government expects nominal gross domestic product to expand 12.3 percent this year — the fastest pace in three decades. Exports are projected to surge 40 percent, while the current account surplus is forecast to more than double to a record $290 billion, driven by soaring semiconductor