[Seoul = CBC News] The won/dollar exchange rate has broken back above the 1,500-won mark, renewing its highest level in about a month and a half. A massive exodus of foreign funds coupled with a sharp plunge in the domestic stock market is amplifying anxiety in the foreign exchange market.

As of 3:30 PM on the 19th, the won/dollar exchange rate in the Seoul foreign exchange market closed at 1,507.8 won, up 7.5 won from the previous trading day. The exchange rate, which had recently shown signs of stabilization, has entered an upward trajectory again, renewing its peak.

[Cause of the Exchange Rate Surge: 6 Trillion Won in Foreign Net Selling] The primary background for the sharp rise in the exchange rate is cited as the massive selling pressure from foreign investors. In the securities market on this day, foreigners net sold 6.3 trillion won worth of shares, maintaining a selling dominance for nine consecutive trading days. This is interpreted as a strong bearish pressure on the won's value, driven by a surge in demand to sell domestic stocks and convert them into dollars.

[KOSPI Plunges 3%... Declines in Semiconductor Stocks Widen] Anxiety in the domestic stock market also fueled the exchange rate's rise. On this day, the KOSPI index fell by more than 3%, retreating to the 7,271 level, and concerns about a collapse below the 7,100 mark were also raised during trading. In particular, the decline widened centered around top market-cap semiconductor stocks such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, rapidly freezing investor sentiment.

[Deepening Global Risk Aversion... Acts as Factor for Strong Dollar] The market analyzes that factors such as tensions surrounding the US and Iran, expanding global risk aversion, and rising US Treasury yields are complexly acting as factors for a strong dollar. It is evaluated that as volatility in tech stocks increased in the recent New York Stock Exchange, the preference for safe assets strengthened, leading to continued dollar buying.

[※ This article was written with the help of AI. The information provided in this article is intended to convey general news related to virtual assets and financial markets, and is not an investment solicitation or financial advice. The market is highly volatile, and losses from investments are the responsibility of the investor.]