Global index provider FTSE Russell confirmed Tuesday that South Korea will be included in the World Government Bond Index(WGBI) starting in April 2026, in keeping with the timeline it set earlier this year.

In its semiannual review, FTSE Russell reaffirmed the technical schedule, saying South Korea’s inclusion will begin in April and be completed by November 2026 through phased weighting increases.

The London-based firm said it will continue to work closely with investors, market infrastructure providers and the South Korean authorities to ensure a smooth transition.

The WGBI, alongside the Bloomberg-Barclays Global Aggregate and J.P. Morgan GBI-EM indices, is one of the world’s three major bond benchmarks tracked by institutional investors.

Inclusion is expected to draw significant foreign capital and lower sovereign borrowing costs, with Seoul projecting inflows of at least 56 billion U.S. dollars into the country’s bond market.

FTSE Russell had originally planned to include South Korea this coming November, but postponed the start by five months while maintaining the same completion date.