The South Korean won weakened to around 1,442 per dollar, pulling back after hitting a two-week high in the previous session, as renewed global risk aversion and solid dollar demand pressured regional currencies. A tech-led selloff on Wall Street and safe-haven flows into US Treasuries dampened appetite for risk-sensitive assets, prompting traders to pare recent long positions in the won ahead of key US economic releases.
The retreat came despite ongoing support from optimism over an AI-driven semiconductor upcycle, with strong demand for high-bandwidth memory bolstering earnings prospects for major chipmakers and reinforcing export momentum. Early-February trade data pointed to robust gains, particularly in technology-related shipments. For now, however, short-term moves in the won appear to be driven more by shifts in global risk sentiment and dollar strength than by domestic fundamentals.
