<Anchor>



Next, we will look into the New Year's global issues, including the US-China conflict, with our correspondents.

Let's go to America first.



Last year, interest rates were raised frequently and a lot, and our economy was also hit.

How do you think this year will be?

Correspondent Nam Seung-mo, please tell us.



<Reporter>



Last year, the Federal Reserve System, the central bank of the United States, raised the benchmark interest rate from zero at the beginning of the year to 4.5%.



Although inflation has been somewhat dampened due to financial tightening and falling international oil prices, employment and consumption are still hot, so it is expected that the base rate will be raised to 5% at the beginning of this year.



Fed Chairman Powell also said he would keep interest rates high until inflation is firmly established.



However, the variable is the economic downturn.



There are many observations that the US economic growth rate will remain in the 0% range this year, and there is also a prospect that interest rates may be lowered from the fourth quarter if the economy contracts more severely than expected.



<Anchor>



Aside from interest rates, are there other points to note?



<Reporter>



Earlier, you saw Kwak Sang-eun's correspondent connection, but above all, we must watch the war in Ukraine.



It seems that the West, such as the United States, will continue to support Ukraine, but depending on how long the war lasts, it seems to be the biggest variable in the world's political economy.



The competition for supremacy between the US and China is also worth paying attention to.



In particular, as the United States is pressuring allies to participate in containing China under the pretext of protecting advanced technology and securing supply chains, the Korean government needs a strategic response.



In addition, the inflation reduction law is also controversial between Korea and the United States. The US government has shown some sincerity so that commercial vehicles can receive subsidies for our electric vehicles, but key points such as the suspension of North American provisions have not yet been answered.



The issue of North Korean provocations and nuclear weapons development is also a task that South Korea and the United States must address together as they celebrate the 70th anniversary of the alliance.



(Video coverage: Oh Jeong-sik, Video editing: Cho Moo-hwan)