According to Yonhapinfomax, the Korean won appreciated 4.32% against the US dollar from July 1-15, the strongest performance among major currencies during the period. The won outpaced G10 currencies including the euro, yen, pound sterling, and Australian dollar, which appreciated between 0-3%.
The appreciation was driven by reduced foreign investor stock selling—after recording a net sale of 57 trillion won in June, foreign investors sold only 11 trillion won during July 1-15, with net buying on four of the last six trading days. Additionally, SK Hynix's $26.5 billion fundraising through new share issuance and ADR listing brought significant dollar inflows, while major exporters increased dollar sales, with South Korean firms' currency futures net sales reaching 17.4 billion dollars in the second quarter, the highest in 18 years.