, the bank of korea will enforce a 52 - hour workweek policy starting next month. to carry out the central bank ’ s duties under the changed working conditions, we will need to continuously improve our work methods so that we can utilize our resources efficiently within the limited time frame. our staff members will also have to concentrate more on their work. dear fellow members of the bok family! as uncertainties concerning economic conditions have further heightened, amid a number of accumulated problems facing our economy that require resolution, the general public is likely to pin high hopes on the central bank. we should do our best in executing our duties with firm resolution. today, as we greet the 69th year since our bank ’ s establishment, i would like to thank everyone once again for your hard work, and i wish each one of you, together with your families, health and happiness always. thank you. 3 / 3 bis central bankers'speeches

juyeol lee : challenges faced by small open economies and the appropriate monetary policy responses opening address by mr juyeol lee, governor of the bank of korea, at the bok - kiep - piie conference, jointly hosted by the bank of korea, korea institute for international economic policy, and the peterson institute for international economics, seoul, 19 july 2016. * * * good morning, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen! i am delighted to welcome you all today to this conference, jointly hosted by the bank of korea, korea institute for international economic policy, and peterson institute for international economics. let me begin by expressing my special thanks to our conference co - hosts, president adam posen of the peterson institute for international economics and president jung taik hyun of the korea institute for international economic policy ; and to the panelists, swiss national bank governor thomas jordan and bank of israel governor karnit flug ; and to professor olivier blanchard. i would also like to express my sincere appreciation to all of the session speakers, moderators, and discussants for their contributions to this conference. as the global economy has become more integrated, the external effects of changes in the economic conditions and monetary policies of major countries have become greater than ever before. these effects are greater particularly in small open economies like korea. and so i am very pleased that this conference, co - hosted by two outstanding think tanks in the area of international economics, provides an opportunity to discuss the challenges faced by small open economies and the appropriate monetary policy responses. in the years since the global financial crisis, major economies have been implementing accommodative macroeconomic policy to cope with their economic sluggishness. however, most of them have failed to emerge from their low growth trends, due mainly to structural factors. in addition, the international financial markets are showing higher volatility, owing to uncertainty surrounding monetary policy normalization by the us federal reserve and the possibility of a recurrence of financial and economic unrest in emerging countries, combined with the uk ’ s brexit decision. small open economies are influenced greatly by the economic situations of major countries and international financial market conditions. in terms of their real economies they are experiencing economic slowdowns in line with sluggish exports. on the financial side, they are seeing high volatility in capital flows and price variables, such as exchange rates. all of this makes for a complicated policy environment for the central banks of small open economies. they have to