South Korea has started a domestic spot USD/KRW trading regime that operates from 6:00 a.m. Monday through 6:00 a.m. Saturday, creating 120 hours of continuous weekly trading. The change is designed to make the won easier to convert and forms part of Seoul’s effort to qualify for developed-market status in MSCI global indexes. Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol described the launch as an "important starting point for the won's globalization."