Iceland is seeking a lifeline and trying to avert defaulting on its debt. That has some Asia watchers wondering whether this region may have an Iceland of its own.
While nobody is expecting Asian Crisis Part Two, Iceland's huge current account deficit and banking system malaise could provoke comparisons with Asian countries with open financial markets in similar circumstances. If it does, South Korea, the biggest money loser for foreigners during the 1997 financial crisis, may top the danger list.
Korea has the largest current account deficit in Asia and its banks have the worst loan-to-deposit ratios. Indeed, at 136%, the ratio of Korean bank loans to deposits is significantly above the Asian average of 82%. Next in line after Korea is Indonesia at 95%.
Investors are certainly fleeing Korea's markets in a hurry. The main Kospi index is 35% off its peak and the Korean won has hit a decade-low against the U.S. dollar.
On October 29, 2008, the IMF announced that it plans on creating a new three month short-term lending facility aimed at middle income countries such as Mexico, South Korea, and Brazil. The IMF plans to set aside $100 billion for the new Short-Term Liquidity Facility (SLF). In a unprecedented departure from other IMF programs, SLF loans will have no policy conditionality.
韓國在那時候已經被IMF國際貨幣基金組織點名了,不然隔天韓國股市怎麼可能會吃瀉藥?
隨便一個阿貓阿狗講話隔天韓股就會吃瀉藥?
Lee, H., & Rhee, C. (2012). Lessons from the 1997 and the 2008 Crises in Korea. Asian Economic Policy Review, 7(1), 47-64.
Jeon, B. N. (2010). From the 1997-97 Asian Financial Crisis to the 2008-09 Global Economic Crisis: Lessons from Korea's Experience. E. Asia L. Rev., 5, 103.