The South Korean won weakened to around 1,557 per dollar, approaching its weakest level since March 2009 near 1,560 touched earlier in June, as persistent foreign selling of local equities and broad demand for the US dollar weighed on the currency. Overseas investors remained net sellers of Korean stocks for an eighth consecutive session, extending a wave of capital outflows as global funds trimmed exposure to Korean technology shares. The won also came under pressure from a firmer US dollar after stronger-than-expected US labor market data pushed Treasury yields higher and reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates later this year. Meanwhile, South Korea reported record trade data for June, with exports surging 70.9% year-on-year to $102.25 billion, marking the first time monthly shipments exceeded $100 billion. The trade surplus widened to a record $36.15 billion, as semiconductor exports nearly tripled to $44.82 billion on robust AI-driven demand.
