South Korea's economy barely grew in the fourth quarter of 2024, missing market expectations, as domestic demand was hurt in part by the country's worst political crisis in decades, raising bets for more fiscal and monetary support to revive growth.

The South Korean economy posted weaker-than-expected growth last year amid slowing export growth, sagging domestic demand and a political crisis, central bank data showed Thursday. The country's real gross domestic product -- a key measure of economic growth -- increased 2 percent in 2024,

South Korea's economy expanded 1.2% year on year in the fourth quarter, its slowest expansion since the second quarter of 2023. The 1.2% reading missed analysts' expectations of 1.4% growth. On a quarter on quarter basis,