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U.S. Treasury Expands FX Scrutiny, Keeps Korea on Watchlist as Won Weakness Seen Misaligned With Fundamentals

The semiannual report adds Thailand to the watchlist, stopping short of any manipulator designation.

Overview

  • Treasury said it will now assess efforts to resist currency depreciation alongside traditional checks on resisting appreciation, while finding no partner met all three statutory tests.
  • Thailand was newly added, bringing the monitoring list to 10 economies that also include China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam, Germany, Ireland and Switzerland.
  • South Korea remained on the list for meeting two criteria, with a current-account surplus around 5.9% of GDP and a roughly $52 billion bilateral goods and services surplus with the United States during the review period.
  • Treasury judged the won’s late‑2025 slide inconsistent with Korea’s fundamentals and highlighted about $107 billion in private portfolio outflows driven by retail purchases of overseas equities.
  • Seoul said its authorities are in close communication with Washington on the designation, as recent U.S.–Japan coordination to support the yen briefly lifted the won.