Bank of Korea(BOK) Governor Rhee Chang-yong says he is now getting ready to change lanes before making a turn.
 
Following the central bank's rate freeze on Thursday, Rhee met with reporters and hinted at the BOK's future course of action. 
 
Amid heightened anticipation for a rate cut, the BOK chief cautiously explained that "the situation is now ripe for the central bank to change lanes and prepare for a turn at an appropriate time."
 
The governor said two out of six members of his monetary policy committee were open to a possibility of a rate cut within the next three months in concluding the latest rate decision.

While positively assessing the current inflationary pressure at two-point-four percent last month, the central bank chief said that the timing to make a turn could come late after reviewing all risk factors, including household debts, real estate prices and exchange rates.
  
The central bank earlier on Thursday kept its benchmark interest rate steady at three-point-five percent for the 12th consecutive time, maintaining the largest-ever gap of two percentage points with the U.S. Fed's rate.