The won closed at 1,336.1 per dollar in Seoul on the 9th, down 9.5 won from the previous trading day and marking its first weekly close near 1,330 won since Oct. 4, 2024. The rate has fallen 219.7 won from 1,555.8 on July 2, while the Bank of Korea said the July-August decline reached 11.67%, the fourth-largest two-month drop since the market-average exchange-rate system began in March 1990. Semiconductor-export dollars, expected selling linked to SK Hynix’s American Depositary Receipt issuance and corporate shareholder returns, and exporters’ rush to convert dollars are adding downward pressure. The stronger won reduces exporters’ converted revenue and can weigh on profits; Daol Investment & Securities estimated that a 100-won decline in the annual average rate could reduce annual operating profit by about 1.9 trillion won at Hyundaicha and 1.4 trillion won at Kia. Importers benefit from cheaper dollars but face losses on advance purchases and may be delaying settlements, leaving the currency vulnerable to a rebound if postponed demand emerges.