South Korean Won Surpasses 1,540 per Dollar as Yen Slides to 800 per 100 Yen

South Korean won‑dollar rates climbed above 1,540 per dollar, reaching 1,540.6 at 09:53 GMT on the day of reporting. This is the highest level since the March 2009 financial‑crisis peak of 1,561.0. The market opened at 1,529.0 won per dollar, down 0.7 from the previous close, before reversing higher. The dollar index was 99.43, marginally up from the prior day.

At the same time, the won‑yen rate fell to the 800‑won per 100‑yen band – the first time in 1 year 8 months – with 100 yen trading at 899.46 won. Japan’s yen continued to weaken against the dollar, hitting the 163‑yen level, a near‑40‑year low, despite recent government intervention and a 1 % policy‑rate increase by the Bank of Japan. The movements were driven by strong Korean Q2 growth (0.6 % QoQ, above forecasts) and continued foreign inflows into Korean assets, while Japan’s fiscal expansion and lower relative interest rates sustained yen depreciation.