The South Korean won opened at 1,334.1 won per dollar on Friday, November 13, 2026, marking a 3.4-won or 0.25% increase from the previous session's close. The rise was attributed to strengthening global oil prices and U.S. Treasury yields, which bolstered the dollar's position.
Brent crude futures surged 3.3% to $95.82 a barrel, following U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks that dampened prospects for U.S.-Iran talks. Meanwhile, the dollar index reached 103.17, signaling dollar strength, which typically elevates exchange rates.
The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield climbed 0.154 percentage points to 5.137%, further supporting the dollar's upward trajectory. On Wall Street, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite both saw declines of 0.35% and 0.39%, respectively.
Offsetting these gains, dollar sales by South Korea's chipmakers acted as a counterbalance. Min Kyung-won, a researcher at Woori Bank, noted that the semiconductor sector remains the most influential player in the foreign exchange market, consistently capping the exchange rate's rise through steady selling.