FACTBOX - S.Korean policymakers' comments on economy, policy

A view of the construction site of the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul April 20, 2010. South Korea's central bank looks set to keep interest rates steady on Friday, balancing concerns about rising price pressures with doubts about the global recovery, but is expected to hike rates in the next two months.

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's central bank looks set to keep interest rates steady on Friday, balancing concerns about rising price pressures with doubts about the global recovery, but is expected to hike rates in the next two months.

Ten out of the 13 analysts polled by Reuters expect the Bank of Korea to hold its policy rate unchanged at record-low 2.0 percent for a 17th consecutive month, while three see a 25 basis point rise.

Following are key comments South Korean officials have made on Asia's fourth-largest economy and economic policy since the Bank of Korea's previous rate review on June 10.

FINANCE MINISTER YOON JEUNG-HYUN, on July 7 at a conference, reaffirmed the government's intention to gradually return economic policy to pre-crisis settings despite uncertainty over the global economy.

FINANCE MINISTER YOON, on July 2 at a forum:

"We need to consider both the enlarged external uncertainties and potential inflation pressures in a balanced manner."

He added the ministry's latest 2010 GDP forecast upgraded in June had taken into account uncertainties surrounding the global economy.

FINANCE MINISTER YOON, on June 25 on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Toronto, said he believed the global economy was entering a phase of low growth.

FINANCE MINISTRY, on June 24 while lifting 2010 growth forecasts:

"The government plans to gradually normalise macro policy trend within scope of not hampering the recent economic recovery, considering employment, inflation and financial market conditions."

FINANCE MINISTER YOON, on June 23 at a meeting:

"Consumer prices have until now shown stability but (the country) will likely face a difficult environment in the second half, along with pronounced economic recovery and a possible rise in unstable international oil prices."

PRESIDENT LEE MYUNG-BAK, on June 23 at a meeting:

"This year, the economy is in a period of recovery ... the South Korean economy is definitely in the recovery phase along with the global economy."

FINANCE MINISTER YOON, on June 21 at parliament:

"The government will review fiscal policy after checking on the first-half performance...The government stance is that if problems in southern European countries continued, it could have such a negative impact as delaying an exit strategy."

BANK OF KOREA GOVERNOR KIM CHOONG-SOO, on June 21 at parliament, said he agreed with a view that keeping interest rates low for a long time could limit its monetary policy options in the future.

FINANCE MINISTER YOON, on June 18 in a prepared speech, said there was a "possibility" of annual consumer price inflation for the July-December period coming above expectations.

FINANCE MINISTER YOON, on June 16 at parliament:

"It is the government's stance that it is still necessary to maintain expansionary macro economic policy."

(Reporting by Kim Yeon-hee; Editing by Yoo Choonsik)