Korean Won Rises on Currency Inflows

2026-02-06 03:38 By Mariene Camarillo 1 min. read

The South Korean won rose to around 1,460 per dollar, pausing losses after hitting a two-week low, supported by foreign currency inflows.

South Korea reported its largest-ever annual current account surplus of US$123.05 billion in 2025, exceeding both the previous record of $105.1 billion set in 2015 and the central bank’s forecast of $115 billion.

Strong exports, particularly amid a semiconductor upcycle, further reinforced investor confidence.

Additional support came from the government’s $3 billion overseas foreign-exchange stabilization bond issuance, the largest single offering since 2009.

The bonds, split into three- and five-year tranches, were tightly priced, signaling strong demand and bolstering confidence in South Korea’s external finances.

While primarily aimed at strengthening foreign-exchange reserves, the bond sale helped ease near-term pressure on the currency.

Supportive domestic data offset cautious positioning ahead of key US data, keeping the won range-bound.



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