The South Korean won firmed to around 1,354 per dollar on Monday, rebounding from a four-week low as strong corporate dollar selling and a modest pullback in the greenback helped counter persistent safe-haven demand.
South Korean non-financial companies were net sellers of $286.57 billion in dollars during the first nine months of 2026, 2.6 times the volume recorded in the same period a year earlier, as export-oriented firms—particularly semiconductor manufacturers—converted their foreign-currency earnings into won. This trend was underpinned by a record current-account surplus of $61.46 billion in September, while robust semiconductor exports and sustained AI-related investment continued to strengthen the outlook for foreign-exchange inflows.
Upside for the won, however, was capped by stronger-than-expected US employment data, which reinforced expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike in December. At the same time, ongoing concerns over potential AI-related regulation weighed on investor sentiment and helped support demand for the dollar.
