Results of a survey revealed on Tuesday showed that a majority of bond experts expected the Bank of Korea(BOK) to keep the key interest rate steady at one-point-five percent for the ninth consecutive month.

The survey by the Korea Financial Investment Association(KFIA) on 200 bond experts come as the BOK is set to hold its Monetary Policy Committee meeting on Thursday to set the key rate for March.

The association's survey showed 72-point-five percent of the respondents said they expected the BOK to maintain the key rate.

The experts noted that falling exports and domestic spending were big concerns, but an interest rate hike would worsen problems caused by rising household debt. They added that raising the interest rate would also deter restructuring efforts among South Korea’s top corporations.