Korea is "almost certain" to reach a gross national income (GNI) per capita of $40,000 this year, the finance ministry said Tuesday, as Asia's No. 4 economy grew 1 percent in the third quarter from the previous three-month period, driven by strong exports and investment. The Ministry of Finance and Economy made the assessment following the release of advance third-quarter data from the Bank of Korea (BOK), which would mark a new milestone after the country's per capita GNI, a gauge of the population's purchasing power, first surpassed the $30,000 mark in 2014. "Korea maintained solid growth despite a high base effect from the first half, raising the possibility of growth in the mid-3 percent range this year," the finance ministry said. Finance Minister Lee Hyoung-il said this month Korea's economic growth for 2026 could range from 3.4 percent to 3.6 percent. "The GNI per capita is almost certain to hit $40,000 for the first time ever," it added. The International Monetary Fund also recently projected Korea's per capita GNI would reach the $40,000 level in 2026 and $50,000 in 2028. The fina