S.Korea Sept unemployment rate steady at 3.2 pct

SEOUL, Oct 17 (Reuters) South Korea's unemployment rate held steady at 3.2 percent in September, data showed on Wednesday, amid expectations that growth in Asia's fourth-largest economy would accelerate in the coming months.

The seasonally adjusted reading matched the 3.2 percent rate in August, which was down from 3.4 percent in July, data from the National Statistical Office showed.

The number of employed fell to a seasonally adjusted 23.43 million in September from 23.49 million in August, the data showed.

South Korea's monthly unemployment rate has kept to a range of 3.2 percent to 3.5 percent since last year.

The figures come a week after the Bank of Korea left its overnight call rate target steady at 5.0 percent for a second consecutive month after a back-to-back rise by a quarter percentage point each in August and July.

REUTERS SI HS1618