South Korea Moves to 24-Hour Foreign Exchange Trading
韓國將外匯交易改為 24 小時運作
Introduction
The South Korean government is changing the trading schedule for the won to a continuous 24-hour cycle starting July 6, following a series of official tests.
經過一系列官方測試後，韓國政府將從 7 月 6 日起，將韓圓的交易時間改為 24 小時連續交易。
Main Body
This change in the foreign exchange market is a strategic move away from the strict rules created after the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. The government's main goal is to be classified as a 'developed market' by MSCI, which requires the currency to be more accessible to international investors. To prevent risks such as a lack of liquidity—which could cause price swings since the won is currently near a 17-year low against the U.S. dollar—the administration has introduced new offshore settlement systems and policies allowing foreign investors to hold the currency directly.
外匯市場的這次變革是一項戰略舉措，旨在擺脫 1997 年亞洲金融風暴後制定的嚴格規則。政府的主要目標是希望被 MSCI 列為「發達市場」，而這要求貨幣對國際投資者而言必須更具可得性。為了防止流動性不足等風險（由於韓圓對美元目前接近 17 年低點，可能會導致價格劇烈波動），政府推出了新的離岸結算系統以及允許外國投資者直接持有該貨幣的政策。
Furthermore, this initiative aims to fix the 'Korea Discount,' a situation where South Korean stocks are cheaper than similar global companies due to poor corporate governance and strict currency laws. However, MSCI recently kept South Korea's 'emerging market' status because there is still not enough liquidity. At the same time, the market is facing a strange situation: while the KOSPI index has hit record highs, foreign funds are selling to take profits and local investors are preferring U.S. stocks, which has weakened the won.
此外，此舉旨在解決「韓國折扣」（Korea Discount）問題，即由於公司治理不善和嚴格的貨幣法，導致韓國股票價格低於全球同類公司。然而，MSCI 最近維持韓國的「新興市場」地位，因為流動性仍然不足。與此同時，市場面臨一種奇怪的現象：儘管 KOSPI 指數創下歷史新高，但外國基金正在獲利了結，且本地投資者更傾向於美國股票，這導致了韓圓走弱。
To handle these new requirements, financial institutions are changing how they manage their staff. Major banks, such as Hana, Woori, Shinhan, and KB Kookmin, are hiring more employees and using shift rotations. This is especially true for their London offices, as they need more staff to monitor the markets continuously.
為了應對這些新要求，金融機構正在改變其人員管理方式。大型銀行（如 Hana、Woori、Shinhan 和 KB Kookmin）正在招聘更多員工並採取輪班制。這在他們的倫敦辦公室尤為明顯，因為需要更多人員持續監控市場。
Conclusion
South Korea has extended its currency trading to 24 hours to attract more global investment, although it is still seen as an emerging market by MSCI.
韓國將貨幣交易延長至 24 小時以吸引更多全球投資，儘管 MSCI 仍將其視為新興市場。
Vocabulary Learning
⚡ The 'Cause & Effect' Leap
At an A2 level, you usually say "The won is low, so people sell stocks." To reach B2, you need to connect ideas using Complex Logical Connectors. This allows you to explain why something happens and what the result is in one sophisticated sentence.
🔍 From Simple to Strategic
Look at how the article connects complex financial ideas. Instead of using 'because' or 'so' every time, it uses these B2-level bridges:
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"Due to..." Used to introduce a specific reason (often a noun).
- Example: "...cheaper than similar global companies due to poor corporate governance."
- A2 version: "They are cheaper because the governance is poor."
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"Which could cause..." Used to show a potential future result of a current situation.
- Example: "...lack of liquidity—which could cause price swings..."
- A2 version: "There is no liquidity. This might make prices change."
🛠️ The B2 Upgrade Formula
To sound more fluent, stop starting new sentences for every idea. Use this pattern:
[Fact/Situation] , which [Result/Consequence]
- A2: The banks need 24-hour trading. They are hiring more staff.
- B2: The banks need 24-hour trading, which requires them to hire more staff.
💡 Vocabulary Shift: 'Emerging' vs 'Developed'
Notice the contrast between Emerging (growing/developing) and Developed (established/advanced). In B2 English, we move away from simple adjectives (like 'big' or 'new') and use 'category' adjectives to describe systems and economies. Use emerging when something is in the process of becoming a leader in its field.