South Korea Begins $3 Billion U.S. Dollar Sovereign Bond Offering
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Japan, South Korea Pledge $900B to U.S. After Tariff Ceiling
Tokyo and Seoul committed roughly $900B in U.S. investments as part of a negotiated tariff ceiling set at 15% . The package combines a U.S.–Japan investment vehicle (reported at about $550B) with South Korea’s enabling legislation for roughly $350B, and includes early pilot shortlists and sizable implementation and regulatory risks.
South Korea breaks a cross-border crypto laundering operation that moved roughly W149 billion
Customs investigators uncovered a multi-year scheme that allegedly routed about 148.9 billion won through cryptocurrency and local bank accounts; three suspects have been referred to prosecutors. The action is part of a broader enforcement push as authorities tighten oversight of foreign exchange flows and underground exchange activity.
South Korea: Stablecoin Liquidity Collapses as FX Move Redirects Capital to Stocks
On-chain balances of dollar‑pegged tokens tied to South Korea’s five largest exchanges plunged about 55% , driven by a mid‑March won depreciation that made converting USD‑pegged assets into won immediately attractive; roughly ₩19 trillion of brokerage deposits appears to have been redeployed into a concentrated KOSPI rally. The squeeze on on‑exchange USD liquidity coincided with global stablecoin contraction and spot‑ETF outflows, while Korean regulatory concern over won‑pegged tokens and proposed issuer limits adds a policy layer that could make the liquidity shift more persistent.

South Korea to Fast-Track Investment Law as U.S. Tariff Risks Rise
Seoul is accelerating an investment facilitation bill to shore up foreign capital after the U.S. sharply raised tariffs on a range of Korean exports. The move aims to reassure multinational firms exposed to a new 25% duty on key goods while balancing speed with sufficient safeguards to maintain investor confidence.

Bank of Korea Warns Won Stablecoins Could Undermine Capital-Flow Management
The Bank of Korea has cautioned that won-denominated stablecoins pose risks to foreign-exchange stability and could be used to sidestep capital controls during periods of market stress. That warning intensifies a legislative impasse over who may issue domestic stablecoins as lawmakers weigh bank-led issuance against broader industry participation.

U.S. Imposes 25% Duties on South Korean Imports After Legislature Delay
The White House announced a unilateral increase of duties on cars, medicines and timber from South Korea to 25% after Seoul’s parliament failed to ratify a bilateral pact. The move escalates trade friction, targets major exporters such as Hyundai, and arrives amid a pending U.S. Supreme Court review of executive tariff authority.

Plume adds won‑denominated stablecoin to lower barriers for South Korean institutions
Plume has integrated a Korean‑won stablecoin, KRW1, issued by BDACS to let institutions transact and invest in won across its real‑world asset network. The move targets Korean regulatory readiness and aims to reduce FX friction while encouraging on‑chain issuance and deeper institutional participation.

South Korea’s Envoy Presses U.S. Lawmakers to Ease Threat of New Tariffs
South Korea’s top envoy held a series of meetings on Capitol Hill to argue against recently escalated U.S. trade measures and to seek exemptions or more targeted remedies for export-dependent industries. The outreach comes as Washington has tightened duties and pursued technology export controls, prompting Seoul to accelerate domestic measures to reassure investors and blunt relocation pressures.