SEOUL: South Korea’s central bank left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at a record low of 1.5 per cent for a sixth consecutive month on Thursday, ahead of an anticipated rate increase by the US Federal Reserve. The decision had been widely expected with the Bank of Korea’s (BoK) board members adopting a wait-and-see approach to the impact of an eventual Fed hike on the global economy. Earlier this month, the bank said South Korea’s economy had grown at its fastest pace in more than five years in the third quarter, driven by a strong rebound in consumer spending.