He appeared to hesitate partly out of political weaknessand partly for fear that too many scandals would upset the economy, which the chaebol dominate.
Investors have flocked to gold on continued U.S. dollar weakness, sovereign debt woes in Europe, and a general fear that the global economy is slowing.
At the same time, the Fed's willingness to continue its support underlines the weakness of the US economy and is causing some investors to fear company profits may be held back by tepid growth.