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In September, the average rate on new household mortgage loans at Korean banks rose to 4.88 percent, up 0.22 percentage points from August, marking the highest level in 14 years and five months, according to the Bank of Korea's data released on Oct. 29. The Korea Times and Yonhap report the rate rose for a fifth consecutive month amid rising market interest, while Dong-A Ilbo notes fixed-rate mortgages hit 5.11 percent, the first time such rates surpassed 5 percent. Kyunghyang Shinmun also highlights the record high and the fixed-rate milestone. Korean media and analysts attribute the surge to market conditions, with the Fed's recent hold on U.S. rates at about 3.9 percent providing little signal on future moves, as reported by the Korea Times.