Home > Business > Finance

Korean won starts day at weakest level since global financial crisis

Published: 09 Apr. 2025, 10:04

A screen in Hana Bank's trading room in central Seoul shows the won's trading value against the dollar on April 9. [YONHAP]

The Korean won opened at its weakest level since the 2009 global financial crisis, as the won-dollar exchange rate surged past 1,480 won on Wednesday.

At the opening of the Seoul foreign exchange market, the won-dollar rate rose 10.8 won from the previous session to 1,484.0 won. This marks the highest opening level since March 16, 2009, during the financial crisis, when the rate peaked at 1,488.5 won during intraday trading.

As of 9:20 a.m., the won was trading at 1,486.90 against the dollar, having briefly spiked to 1,487.3.

On Tuesday, the rate closed daytime trading at 1,473.2 won at 3:30 p.m. After transitioning to nighttime trading, it reached an intraday high of 1,482.3 won before settling at 1,479 won by 2 a.m. the following morning.

Based on the Tuesday closing figure, the exchange rate was the highest level since March 13, 2009, when the rate stood at 1,483.5 won. The won has continued to weaken since March 31, when it closed at 1,472.9 won.

Meanwhile, the Kospi opened down 4.24 points, or 0.18 percent, at 2,329.99. The Kosdaq also fell, dropping 4.61 points, or 0.70 percent, to 653.84 at the opening.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]