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South Korea Sets 24-Hour Onshore Won Trading for July 2026 in MSCI Upgrade Push

The plan targets MSCI developed‑market recognition by removing access frictions that have long contributed to the "Korea discount."

Overview

  • The Finance Ministry published a roadmap on Jan. 9 that seeks MSCI watch‑list placement in June 2026 and possible developed‑market inclusion in June 2027.
  • Onshore foreign exchange trading will run around the clock from July 2026, expanding beyond the current 2 a.m. close to give global investors continuous access.
  • Authorities will set up an offshore won settlement system and pursue inclusion of the won in Refinitiv’s World Market benchmark rate to ease pricing and overnight settlement.
  • Changes taking effect this month let newly registered foreign institutions begin trading immediately with a three‑month reporting grace period, alongside a fully functional omnibus custody structure to cut paperwork.
  • The roadmap accelerates English‑language disclosures and refines short‑selling and OTC rules, with index‑tracking inflows projected to begin in 2028 if reclassification proceeds as planned.