Won Strengthens on Budget Approval, Policy Optimism

The South Korean won traded around 1,500 per dollar, remaining close to its lowest since March 2009, as hopes for a quick resolution to the Iran war faded, weighing on risk sentiment. In a rare prime-time speech, President Donald Trump gave no clear timeline for ending the Middle East conflict, noting that the US had nearly met its strategic goals in Iran but warning that military operations could intensify over the next two to three weeks. The statement also lifted the US dollar, adding pressure on currencies. Meanwhile, South Korea’s inflation rose to 2.2% in March, above the central bank’s 2% target, highlighting mounting inflationary pressures driven by rising energy costs from the Iran conflict. Earlier this week, Shin Hyun-song, nominee to lead the Bank of Korea, said the central bank should maintain flexible monetary policy to manage these risks but downplayed concerns over the won, noting that market liquidity remains solid.

The South Korean won fell to around 1,516, hovering near its weakest levels since 2009, as investors reacted to heightened geopolitical uncertainty ahead of Donald Trump’s scheduled address on the Middle East conflict. Trump indicated that the US could withdraw from Iran relatively quickly while retaining the option for limited strikes, and claimed the US is “better prepared” to handle the economic impact of the conflict. Additional downside pressure came from sustained capital outflows, with heavy net selling by foreign investors, amplifying demand for the greenback and weighing on the currency. The Bank of Korea has signaled readiness to intervene if volatility intensifies, helping to contain further losses. The won is likely to trade in a narrow range in the near term.

The South Korean Won touched 1519.00 against the USD, the lowest since March 2009. Over the past 4 weeks, US Dollar South Korean Won gained 4.41%, and in the last 12 months, it increased 3.06%.