The South Korean won reached its strongest closing level of 2026 on Oct. 20, as the dollar fell to 1,328.1 won, extending the currency’s recent gains.
Bank of Korea data put the exchange rate 2.2 won below its previous close of 1,330.3. The dollar had opened at 1,330.3 won, unchanged from that earlier finish.
Oct. 20 marked the third consecutive lower close for USD/KRW. The rate stood 14.6% below its 2026 high of 1,555.8 won per dollar. A lower USD/KRW rate means one dollar buys fewer won, reflecting a stronger South Korean currency.
The latest close surpassed an Oct. 16 close of 1,331.4, which had been the year’s lowest rate at the time. USD/KRW stood at 1,468.5 on July 27, or 140.4 won above the Oct. 20 finish. The rate was 1,419.2 on Oct. 20, 2025.
