U.S. Repatriation Flight Carrying 266 Venezuelan Migrants Lands in Caracas 
Trump’s Name Appears on U.S. Institute of Peace Ahead of Rwanda–Congo Deal Signing 
California Launches Portal for Reporting Alleged Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents 
New Orleans Immigration Crackdown Sparks Fear as Federal Arrests Intensify 
Spain’s Industrial Output Records Steady Growth in October Amid Revised September Figures 
Cuba Reaffirms Anti-Drug Cooperation as Tensions Rise in the Caribbean 
IMF Deputy Dan Katz Visits China as Key Economic Review Nears 
UN Chief Says Gaza Operation “Fundamentally Wrong” as Concerns Over War Crimes Grow 
Australia Progresses AUKUS Review as U.S. Affirms Strong Support 
Oil Prices Hold Steady as Ukraine Tensions and Fed Cut Expectations Support Market 
Drones Spotted Near Zelenskiy’s Flight Path in Ireland Trigger Security Alert 
Gold Prices Steady as Markets Await Key U.S. Data and Expected Fed Rate Cut 
Trump and Lula Discuss Trade, Sanctions, and Security in “Productive” Phone Call 
Maduro Confirms “Respectful” Call With Trump, Signals Openness to Diplomatic Dialogue 
European Stocks Rise as Markets Await Key U.S. Inflation Data 
RBI Cuts Repo Rate to 5.25% as Inflation Cools and Growth Outlook Strengthens 
Asian Markets Mixed as Fed Rate Cut Bets Grow and Japan’s Nikkei Leads Gains 
South Korea’s negotiations with the United States on a trade deal remain delayed due to concerns over foreign exchange stability. A senior presidential official said Seoul has asked Washington to help minimize the market impact of its planned $350 billion investment package in the U.S.
The deal, initially agreed in July, has yet to be finalized in writing, unlike Japan’s $550 billion trade agreement that U.S. President Donald Trump signed last week. According to Presidential Policy Secretary Kim Yong-beom, South Korea cannot accept the same terms as Japan because of differences in economic structure and currency conditions.
Kim emphasized that the yen enjoys international currency status and Japan maintains foreign exchange reserves nearly three times larger than South Korea’s, supported by a currency swap program. These factors allow Japan to absorb the market impact of its U.S. investment more effectively than Seoul.
Market analysts have expressed concerns that South Korea’s $350 billion investment could intensify downward pressure on the won. The scale far exceeds the $20–30 billion that state-run policy banks can typically procure annually, as well as the national pension fund’s $2–3 billion monthly overseas investments, both already influential in currency markets.
The won is currently trading near 1,390 per dollar, up 6% in 2025 after four years of weakness that pushed it to 15-year lows below the 1,400 mark in 2024. Policymakers warn that any large-scale capital outflow linked to the U.S. deal could destabilize foreign exchange markets.
Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol confirmed that currency policy is part of the ongoing negotiations and will be included in the final agreement once trade talks conclude. Until then, the timing of the trade deal’s conclusion remains uncertain.
