S&P Global Manufacturing PMI in South Korea

The South Korea Manufacturing PMI is a diffusion index compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence from a monthly survey of purchasing managers in the South Korean manufacturing sector. A reading above 50 signals expansion from the previous month; below 50, contraction.

A weighted composite of five sub-indices: New Orders (30%), Output (25%), Employment (20%), Suppliers' Delivery Times (15%) and Stocks of Purchases (10%), seasonally adjusted.

South Korea is a bellwether industrial exporter (semiconductors, cars, chemicals), so its PMI is watched as a leading indicator of both the Korean cycle and global tech demand. A strong print supports the won (KRW) and firms the Bank of Korea's stance; a weak one foreshadows a cooling in world trade.

It is a qualitative survey: it measures the direction of change, not its magnitude. The sample is drawn from private firms and the seasonal adjustment factors are revised periodically; the index does not capture each firm's relative weight in total output.