On the 3rd, as the KOSPI index opened with a plunge in the 2% range amid the war between the United States and Iran, various indices are displayed on the status board at the Hana Bank dealing room in Jung-gu, Seoul. Lee Jun-heon

On the 3rd, the first foreign-exchange trading day after the U.S. attack on Iran, the won·dollar exchange rate surged by more than 20 won, quickly topping 1,460 won per dollar.

In the Seoul foreign-exchange market that day, the won·dollar rate opened at 1,462.3 won, up 22.6 won. It was the first time since the 10th of last month that the rate exceeded 1,460 won during intraday trade.

With the Iran crisis amplifying risk aversion, this is a negative factor for the won, a risk currency, while supporting the dollar. The Dollar Index, which compares the value of the U.S. currency against the currencies of six major countries, had hovered around the mid-97 range before the Iran crisis but has risen to the mid-98 range since the event. The yen also weakened, with the rate topping 157 yen per dollar.

Amid risk aversion and efforts to avoid inflation, the safe-haven asset gold strengthened. International gold surpassed $5,300 per ounce, and in the Korea Exchange gold market, domestic gold also jumped more than 4%, exceeding 250,000 won per gram.