Overview
- The won fell to as weak as 1,474.9 per dollar early Friday before rebounding to roughly 1,456–1,459 after authorities issued verbal intervention and policy pledges.
- Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol met with BOK Governor Rhee Chang-yong and top financial regulators, vowing to actively use available tools to stabilize the foreign-exchange market.
- Authorities said they will work with the National Pension Service and major exporters to analyze depreciation drivers and craft measures to improve FX supply-demand imbalances.
- Officials and analysts cited a stronger U.S. dollar, a softer yen, foreign investors’ stock selling, increased resident investment in U.S. assets, and exporters delaying dollar conversions as key pressures.
- Volatile moves are disrupting corporate planning and squeezing import-reliant firms, with smaller companies described as especially vulnerable to higher input costs and currency risk.